Fire Emblem Awakening: Lights Within Darkness

by Van24

Semi-AU: Robin woke with nothing but his name and the coat on his back, unaware of the destiny that awaited him. Two mysterious warriors crossed the bounds of time, fighting to avert a dark future even as they struggled to fight against their nightmares turned reality. Now, with the world edging ever closer to the brink of calamity, can they save not just the world, but each other?

3. Chapter One - An Unwelcome Change

Author's Note: First off, I apologize for the delays. I had to submit many of the trimester's final requirements last week, including the revisions to my thesis proposal. I hope no one thought I'd disappeared off of the face of the Earth.

That said, this chapter was meant to be released three days ago, because I wanted to commemorate both Lucina's birthday and the birth of the Fire Emblem franchise with a chapter of this story. I'm three days late, and I was sobbing when a good friend of mine tortured me by sending me an artwork of Lucina bawling her eyes out, but I still managed to churn this out.

There are several changes in this chapter as opposed to canon Awakening, and I'm sure they'll be painfully obvious the moment you start seeing them. I hope they whet your appetites for what's to come, as I have a host of ideas that I can't wait to implement.

As usual, discussions, thoughts, feedback, questions, and others can be sent to me through reviews or PMs (preferably reviews, let's get that counter ticking upwards, people!); I was very happy when I did indeed receive questions from readers, and they even opened up a lot of thought-provoking discussions. You know who you are, so thank you very much!

With that said, let's get right into things! Naga be with you all!

Belated Happy Birthday, Lucina! :D

---

Chapter 1 – An Unwelcome Change

Location: ?

Rain fell upon a desolate wasteland that stretched as far as the eye can see, clouding the air and serving to barely mask the flight of two figures as they made their way towards the crumbling ruins of what had once been a majestic shrine. The figure in the lead – a young man who couldn't have been any older than his mid or late teens – held a hand up as his pace ground to a halt, signalling his trailing female companion to stop as well. The two quickly took shelter beneath a stone archway, leaning against the structure as they allowed themselves a brief moment of respite.

"Do… do you think the others were able to make their escape?" the young woman asked in between harsh breaths as she willed her burning leg muscles to continue to keep her upright even as they screamed in protest against the continued use and abuse they were being forced to endure.

She was a beautiful young woman with soft, delicate features that showed her tender age. She was of pale complexion, a feature that was further highlighted by the lack of sunlight and an obvious lack of proper meals and restful nights. Cerulean tresses cascaded down her shoulders and back messily, plastering themselves against her skin and clothing as the rain continuously soaked into her beautiful blue locks. Her hair framed what would normally be a pair of strong, brilliant blue eyes that shone like sapphires… yet all that could be found were dull, lifeless pools of deep blue that reflected fear and pain and mocked the strength they had once held.

Her companion frowned, clearly mulling over the question. His were facial features that were remarkably similar to his companion's, possessing a certain delicacy that would not have looked out of place on a girl but which managed to be tempered by a quiet calm and surety that served to complement the budding, stronger lines of masculinity. Long cerulean blue hair was tied back into a ponytail that dropped down the length of his back, although several locks were left free to artfully frame sharp, crystalline blue eyes that were currently clouded and darkened by doubts and troubled thoughts.

He wished he could have provided her the assurances she needed. Looking at her frightened, uncertain gaze made him wish he could banish all her fears, but…

"… I'm not sure," he replied after a moment's hesitation, the young woman imagining that he was cringing internally with each word that left his lips. "We can only hope they were able to do so."

The girl looked down. "I see…" she said quietly, before she looked up again. "… We should keep moving… we need to reach the temple as soon as possible."

Her companion simply gave a nod, and they were once again on their way, darting back out into the rain as it continued to fall relentlessly.

The girl looked down, bangs covering her eyes as she ran. She wished she could have fought. She wished she could have done more.

Of course, she could have done just that. She could have stayed and fought to the bitter end. If she were any more foolhardy, and if she were alone, she might have done exactly what she had so desperately wanted to do… but she wasn't, and she hadn't. She had recognized that they were completely outmatched, both in numbers and in strength, and that she had a duty to everyone who looked to her for leadership and guidance.

She'd known that it was a hopeless situation where they had absolutely no chance of winning. She was sure her companions did, as well. There was nothing more any of them could have done beyond survive and hope for a miracle. It was shameful, but she'd done the one thing she could have done.

She'd turned and fled with her companions. Even after they'd been separated by the relentless hordes of demons that pursued their flight, she still ran. She fled for the one remaining sanctuary left to them, hoping beyond hope that the miracle they so desperately needed awaited them within.

'Father…' she thought as she continued to run, unable to stop the tears from forming and spilling down her cheeks. 'I… I'm sorry… I wasn't strong enough…'

---

Location: West of Ylisstol

Chrom woke with a start, eyes darting about and assessing the momentarily unfamiliar surroundings before his mind caught up with his body and reminded him of the events of the previous day. He sighed and sat up, rubbing a hand over his face to dispel the last vestiges of sleep from his mind.

It was well into the dead of night, Chrom realized as he took in their campsite. Left untended, their campfire had long since burned out, the dying embers doing little to dispel the darkness that had fallen upon their little group. What little illumination there was came from the small beams of moonlight that managed to penetrate the thick canopy of leaves they'd camped under to shield them from the elements.

The man let the barest hints of a smile cross his lips as his eyes fell upon the others. Frederick, still fully armored, lay on his back a short distance away, hands clasped together on his chest almost as if in some sort of prayer. Chrom couldn't help but quietly chuckle at Frederick's almost maniacal dedication. He could barely stand sleeping in his own gear, so it was a complete mystery just how in Naga's name the knight could sleep with all of his armor still on his person.

Lissa murmured something in her sleep before she turned over inside her sleeping roll. Her head rested on Chrom's own, ensuring that she at least had some measure of comfort even out in the wild. She'd had quite the experience today, and Chrom at least wanted to at least make her sleep as peaceful as possible to make up for it. Besides, as long as he had his cape, he'd manage well enough.

Chrom's thoughts and gaze then drifted to the newest addition to their little troop on the opposite side of the campfire. Robin lay on his side, resting his head on his arm – he'd politely refused the offer of a sleeping roll, insisting his coat was more than enough to keep him warm and comfortable through the night. The sleeping man's brow furrowed as his expression tightened, making Chrom wonder idly if the amnesiac man was suffering from a nightmare right now.

The blue-haired man considered waking their new companion, as much to save him from what had to be unpleasant thoughts and images as it was for companionship, but eventually decided against it. It had been a trying day for Robin, and the man deserved his rest as much as – if not more than – anyone else.

'You handled it well, though…' Chrom thought, smiling to himself. 'Being dropped into a situation like yesterday can be a frightening experience, amnesia or no amnesia… But you, my friend, did an admirable job.'

Indeed, Robin was quite the bag of surprises, and it wasn't just based on what he'd displayed during the battle at Southtown. His tactical ability was astounding, and it amazed Chrom to no end just how sharp the snow-haired man's mind was when it came to that particular field. As they'd talked, the blue-haired man became more and more convinced that Robin had been studying and training as a tactician before he'd lost his memories, and from how the conversations had gone the white-haired man had been an extremely gifted one at that.

Tacticians were an uncommon profession in Ylisse, but there were enough around for Chrom to be familiar with them. Most of the ones he dealt with were in the service of the different units of the Ylissean Army, but there were a few freelancers here and there who served on contractual bases and were usually found in the employ of mercenary units and merchant guilds.

Regardless, Chrom could say from experience that dealing with a tactician was not exactly pleasant. As they never stepped foot on the battlefield, they tended to be utterly detached from the people they led, and neglected to train their body and mind for any other aspects of battle aside from studying and drafting battle plans. Every tactician Chrom had met carried themselves with an insufferable air of superiority and self-importance, especially as they reminded him that they were concerned with the "big picture", and it irked the blue-haired man to no end to listen them talk as if he could never understand the reasoning behind their machinations.

'Robin, though…' Chrom thought as he watch the amnesiac shift. 'He's utterly unlike the stereotypical tactician, in both word and deed.'

Indeed, their time together the previous day had shown Robin to be a socially-awkward, uncertain young man who was uncomfortable talking about his past and missing memories, yet when he spoke of tactics he seemingly transformed into a different person altogether. It was amazing to see how he acted like a natural-born leader, carrying himself with a calm confidence and a quiet charisma. The three Shepherds had been mesmerized by Robin's incredible breadth of knowledge, the man answering questions, debating on the pros and cons of various strategies and scenarios, and explaining the reasoning behind his every answer with an easy eloquence that spoke to a wealth of experience and wisdom that was far beyond what his apparent years would suggest.

'… And that's not even getting into his combat prowess…'

Never in his right mind did Chrom think he'd ever see a tactician take to the front lines the way Robin had. The fact he'd used both magic and swordplay with equal levels of skill had only served to raise his opinions of Robin's ability. The snow-haired man moved with a speed and precision that made it clear that he'd trained arduously in the combat arts for much of his life, and it wouldn't have surprised Chrom if he discovered that he'd been training as a swordsman and mage for as long as he had been training as a tactician.

Granted, Robin's form wasn't quite flawless, but perhaps a lot of it could be left up to his body readjusting to combat after having lost his memories of whatever experiences he may have had in the past. Chrom was certain that once Robin regained his memories or gained more experience in his new life, he'd grow to become an absolutely formidable front-line commander.

'Yours isn't the kind of knowledge and wisdom that we come across every day… Might you be the one who can finally take on the mantle of 'Grandmaster' again?' Chrom thought. 'Either way, I believe our meeting wasn't without reason. I trust that this happened because Naga willed it. You're probably someone special, my friend.'

Chrom was brought out of his thoughts by a strange, unnatural sound coming from deeper in the forest. Trying to remain quiet so as not to wake the others, he took up his sword – Falchion – and got to his feet, strapping the sheath to his belt as he grew more alert to possible dangers.

Falchion was the holy blade of evil's bane that had once been used by the Altean Hero-King of legend to fell the dark dragon Medeus. Centuries later after the Great Schism, it would be used by the first Exalt of Ylisse to replicate the great Hero-King's feat when he sealed away the fell dragon Grima. The blade was passed down along with the Shield of Seals through the generations of the Exalted bloodline, who were descended from the Hero-King and through whose veins the blood of Naga's favored flowed. It had only come into Chrom's possession upon the passing of his father fifteen years ago, during the Plegian Crusades, but he and the sword had been inseparable ever since.

It was an incredible legacy he had to uphold as the sword's wielder, and he did not intend on shirking his duties and responsibilities as such.

Narrowing his eyes, Chrom listened for the sound once again and began walking in its direction. He'd only taken two steps before a twig crunched beneath his boot.

A yawn escaped his sister's lips, making Chrom curse under his breath. If there was one thing that annoyed him, it was the fact that his sister was - against all appearances - an extremely light sleeper who could go from dead-to-the-world sleep to wakefulness at even the slightest prompting or disturbance.

"… What's wrong, Big Brother…?" Lissa mumbled as she sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Chrom smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Lissa. I didn't mean to wake you," he replied quietly, before frowning thoughtfully. "… But… something is amiss."

Lissa blinked, suddenly alert. "Define 'something'."

"I'm not sure…" Chrom replied, frowning in thought. "I heard something strange, so I wanted to go and take a look around."

"Not alone you won't!" the young cleric replied as she got to her feet, stretching and dusting her dress off. "I'm coming with you."

Chrom smiled. "Heh. Thanks, Lissa."

Lissa shot her brother a cheery grin as she fell into step with him, staff in hand as they made their way deeper into the forest, leaving their two slumbering companions to their sleep.

---

Location: ?

"So this is the place…" the cerulean-haired girl said as she and her companion stared up at the sacred sanctuary of the divine dragon. "Naga's Sanctum…"

The young man's eyes wandered, taking in the crumbling outer walls and the grand archway which marked the entrance, before his eyes settled on the familiar mark that adorned the main shrine's large doors. "Yes. The oppressive atmosphere is certainly weaker here than anywhere else," he murmured. "Let's go. I doubt we have much time."

The girl nodded in reply, and the pair took their first steps onto the sacred grounds. Faded classical architecture greeted the pair as they walked, with cherubic humans and dragons gazing down upon them as they trod down the main pathway towards the main shrine. Green grass and flowers grew on either side of the main pathway, giving the pair their first sniffs of nature and life in a long, long time. As they walked, the young man couldn't help but notice as a strange, calming energy crept into his heart. He felt it beckon to him and wrap him in its warmth, washing over him like waves on a shore and offering him comfort and solace as it filled him with a sense of peace.

'Is this… Naga's…?'

He gave his companion a sidelong glance. Her pallid countenance was beginning to show the faintest signs of color, and her eyes shone with a glimmer of life and hope – perhaps it was due to the presence of the pure and sacred energies that permeated the entire area? That same energy – the influence of Naga, no doubt – was probably what allowed green grass and flowers to still grow within the area enclosed by the outer walls in spite of the desolation the rest of the world had been subjected to.

"Do you feel it?" the girl asked softly, jolting the young man from his distracted thoughts. "I haven't felt this way in so long…"

He smiled gently, placing a hand on her plated shoulder. "I do, indeed, Lucina. Even with the world shrouded in darkness, Naga still watches over us," he replied as they reached the doorway of the main shrine.

The two placed a hand on their respective sides of the double door, looking at each other for reassurance and nodding to let the other know they were there – that they weren't alone in this task. As one, they pushed against the massive stone doors, the symbol etched onto them glowing for a brief moment as if to acknowledge them before the doors parted, allowing them access to the darkness of the Inner Sanctum.

They had taken but one step into the dark when torches of blue flame lit up, bathing the interior in an ethereal glow that banished the darkness within. The two young warriors gazed in awe at the sanctuary's interior as the warmth and light washed over them. The gilded columns and torch stands, the decorative carvings and murals upon the interior walls, the finely sculpted statues and decorative stained glass… everything was still pristine and unmarred by any of the destruction that permeated the world outside.

"It's… untouched…" the girl – Lucina – said as they approached the Sanctum's altar slowly, almost reverently. "The darkness has yet to reach this most holy of places…"

When they were within a few steps of the altar, the mana that had saturated the area rose, coalescing into swirling blue embers. They whirled about the inner sanctum, converging atop the stone monument in a swirl of energy before exploding outwards in a bright flash of light. The two warriors threw their hands up and turned their heads away to shield their eyes from the glare.

"Be welcome, Exalted ones… I have been awaiting your arrival."

The two warriors turned back to look at the altar… and took a step back. Where the light had been now floated an ethereal image of a woman, one which they were plenty familiar with but had never imagined they'd ever encounter in their lives.

She appeared human, but her pointed ears were a distinctive indicator of a member of a Manakete tribe. Long, silky emerald locks fell across her shoulders and back like a curtain, framing similarly-colored irises that gazed down upon the two youths with a gentle kindness that did nothing to mask the eons of wisdom and power hidden behind those quiet, unassuming eyes.

"… Are you… the Divine Dragon Naga…?" Lucina whispered as she fell to her hands knees in reverence and awe, her companion quickly at her side and steadying her.

Naga smiled as she lowered herself to hover just inches off the ground. "Yes, my child… I am she," she replied, her graceful, musical voice absolutely soothing to their ears.

"W-we came, seeking your aid!" Lucina said quickly, bowing her head before the ancient dragonkin spirit. "Please… grant us your divine strength and wisdom, and allow us to save our home – to save our world!"

The ethereal woman shook her head, her smile turning sad. "My child… I am no god," she replied as she knelt before the cerulean-haired girl, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and another at her chin to raise her head. "I do not possess the power to create miracles from nothingness."

Lucina gasped, her expression quickly growing crestfallen. "But… but, milady! You're the Divine Dragon!" she interjected. "Surely, you can help us!"

"So I am called by the sons of man, but I am exactly as my title says – a Divine Dragon, and nothing more," Naga replied easily. "However, while I lack the power of a creator… I can indeed still help you."

Lucina's features turned hopeful. "Truly? So we have –!"

"Unfortunately, I cannot offer you the kind of help you seek."

"W-what… what do you mean?!" Lucina asked, her expression completely crestfallen as the weight of Naga's words settled onto her. "Has… has everything been for naught?"

"Even if you were to complete the Emblem and undergo the Trials of Awakening, it would not nearly be enough," Naga explained gravely. "The influence being exerted by the Fell Dragon's Avatar has grown powerful enough that even unsealing Falchion's true strength would not be able to turn the away the tides of darkness… as the world is now, she commands virtually limitless power. What little strength I can bestow upon you would be insufficient to stop her."

Beside Lucina, the young man turned away, his eyes downcast and despondent. "… So, you're saying… that it's hopeless?" he whispered lowly. "Is that it? Are we doomed to failure?"

Naga shook her head, smiling sadly once more. "Yes, and no," she replied, both teens turning surprised gazes back to her. "It is a certainty that continuing to fight here will only lead to your destruction. However, that does not mean there is nothing you can do."

"… Milady, please tell us what we can do…" Lucina pleaded, extending her hands towards Naga. "Please… help us protect what little we have left…"

Naga took the girl's hands in her own. "I will tell you now… your road is going to be a difficult one," she said. "I will use my power and open a gateway through the Outrealms… and send you back to a time from before these events were set in motion."

"A time before… You intend to send us back… to the past…?" Lucina asked.

"Yes… a time before the outbreak of the Plegia-Ylisse War, a time before even your births," the ancient Manakete clarified. "There, you will be the instruments of change. With your own hands, you must forge a new path, and avert the future that has come to pass here in our world."

The young man's eyes widened. "You mean… you want us to go back and prevent Grima's resurrection…? Do we truly have the power to do that?"

Naga nodded, smiling sadly. "It is a tremendous burden to place on shoulders as young as yours," she replied. "However, I have faith in you, Exalted ones. You possess a great strength within you, a strength that can alter destiny, and save the world from the calamity it now faces."

He frowned. "… But what about you?" he asked. "What about this world? What about our friends who are being hunted just as we are?"

Naga shook her head. "I have no power in the world you are going to… and I also cannot say what would happen here after you leave," she replied. "From the moment you pass through the gate, you will be on your own. I can see to your friends' safety, and ensure they will make their own journeys to the same timeline and time period, but my aid only extends that far. The rest will have to be up to you."

The two were silent.

"My children… I know it is a terrible thing to ask of you," Naga said. "You might feel like you are abandoning your world to its fate… but it would be a far greater crime if I were to give you any false hopes of victory here."

Lucina shook her head. "No, I… I understand, milady…" she said. "It's just… a little hard to accept that we must leave our world to save it…" Her companion placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, the girl giving him a sad, grateful smile in return.

The young man frowned in thought. "A question, Milady Naga… Will… will we be able to see our parents?" he asked after a few moments, startling the girl he was steadying. That hadn't been even remotely close to being on her mind, but the mere thought of her parents brought a whole slew of ideas to the fore, sending her mind spinning.

Naga smiled sadly at the question. "They will be alive and well in the time you are returning to," she replied. "Whether you choose to reveal yourselves to them or not… is a choice that you must make."

Lucina was silent. Being able to see her parents again was one of her most heartfelt desires. However, could she truly allow herself to give in to her whims and potentially alter the timeline just to appease her own selfishness?

Although it pained her, she knew she couldn't bring herself to do it. "W-we can't…" she said quietly. "Doing that… might rob our past selves of their own futures…"

The young man glanced at her. "… Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes filled with concern. "Don't you want to –?"

Lucina nodded, her dull blue eyes looking down. "I want to… You have no idea how much I want to…" she replied. "But we can't jeopardize the past just for our own selfish desires… I-I'm sorry…"

"Don't be…" Lucina's companion said as he gave the girl a reassuring smile. "Whatever happens, you know I'll support you."

Lucina returned his smile, although it never reached her eyes. "Thank you…" she said, before closing her eyes in thought.

A few moments later, she opened them and looked at Naga with the faintest glimmer of hope and resolve.

"We'll do it," she said, a hand reaching into her satchel and rummaging for a certain item. "… We'll save the future, even if the world may never know of us. Even if our parents will never know of us."

Her hand withdrew from the satchel, an ornate butterfly-shaped mask held in her fingers.

Seeing Lucina pull out the mask, the young man immediately understood. "I see… So you intend to hide from them?"

She nodded. "Yes. It'll be for the best," she said, although she knew she was only trying to convince herself. She was certain he knew, as well. "… We can't afford to let ourselves be discovered… It would throw up far too many questions for the people of that time if our identities were to be known."

The young man chuckled dryly. "Hah… to be fair, I'm also scared of how they might react," he said, before his mood grew sombre. "It frightens me… the thought of being rejected by the very people I grew up around…"

The girl looked down. "I feel the same way…" she replied. "As unworthy as I may be of his name, I will call myself 'Marth' once we go back… perhaps if I could be granted even a fraction of his strength…"

"Invoking the Hero-King's name? It's fitting, in a way. Just like he was, you are our light and our hope, you know," he said, smiling ever so lightly. "Here… Let me help you fix your hair so you can pull off this deception a little bit better."

Lucina smiled. "Thank you…" she said, kneeling down and allowing her companion to work. His hands moved quickly and gently as he braided the long locks of her cerulean tresses. It was… almost soothing, the girl had to admit, as her companion's fingers threaded through her hair, although she felt him tense slightly as they ran through the shorter upper layers of her hair.

'You still blame yourself…' she thought as he tucked the bundled up braids beneath her hair's shorter layers. 'Why can't you see it wasn't your fault?'

"There… all done," he said after a scant few moments, smiling lightly as he used a pair of pins from one of his pouches to pin Lucina's bundled hair in place. If her companion was bothered any like the cerulean-haired girl was sure he was, he certainly didn't show it. After giving him a searching look, she nodded in thanks, before turning back to Naga, who'd waited patiently for them to finish.

"Milady… we're ready," she said.

"I see… very well," she replied. Her hands began to glow with a soft light as ancient runes began to circle around her ethereal form. A bright flash from behind the Divine Dragon blinded the two warriors for a moment, before it subsided to reveal a glowing blue portal.

"This is your gateway to the past. It will only remain open for a short period of time," she said, floating down to once again clasp the girl's shoulders. "I wish you well on your journey, Marth… I am certain that the Hero-King's spirit will be watching over you…"

Lucina smiled gratefully, eyes glistening with unshed tears as she placed her hands on Naga's forearms. "T-thank you, Milady…" she said shakily as the Divine Dragon placed a hand on her pale cheek, caressing it as a mother would her child's.

Naga's eyes turned to the girl's companion, the young knight standing at her shoulder. "You may wish to consider using the name 'Kris'," she said. "He was the First among Altea's knights, and the Hero-King's most trusted comrade. Considering your relations, I'd say it's a fitting name."

The young man nodded. "I… I will consider it," he said. "Thank you, Lady Naga."

The ancient Manakete smiled with a mixture of sadness and love. "There is no need to thank me… Indeed, I only wish there was more I could do for you," she replied as she began to fade, but her expression suddenly tightened. "Wait… The darkness… it approaches!"

Naga suddenly raised her hands, glowing with energy and forming a wall of pure mana. "You must make your way through the portal now. I will have to leave this place, and ensure the safe journey of your friends." With that, Naga fully faded away.

"What?!" Lucina cried just before her companion tackled her to the ground, throwing his body over her. She felt a wave of heat pass over her, the brief crackle of mana letting her know that it had been an explosive spell of some kind.

Her companion lifted himself up. "Are you alright?" he asked, hovering over Lucina with a look of concern.

"Yes… I'm fine. Thank you," she replied as they both got to their feet. The once pristine Inner Sanctum was now in shambles. Rubble of destroyed relics and artifacts lay everywhere, small embers licking at the remnants of the sanctuary's interior and paying tribute to the destructive force that had washed over the pair.

"If it hadn't been for Naga's barrier… we'd probably have been incinerated," her companion said, frowning. "Whatever that was, it must have cost her much of her energy if it was only able to repel that one attack."

Lucina frowned. "That's worrying… but what caused…" she murmured, then suddenly gasped. Her companion had apparently come to the same realization, as they both turned to face the entryway to the Inner Sanctum. There… they could see the glowing red eyes that were the trademark of the Fell Dragon's hordes.

The cerulean-haired girl stepped back, horror crossing her features. "No… how did they…" she whispered. "We can't allow them to trespass on these sacred grounds…!"

As Lucina made to draw the sword at her hip, her companion placed a hand on her own, stopping the cerulean-haired girl from drawing her weapon. She shot him a look of anger… a look that quickly died upon seeing his slow shake of the head.

"There are too many," he said. "This isn't a battle we can win."

He turned to the horde of zombie warriors as they shuffled forward, beginning to crowd around the sanctuary's doorway.

"… You should go," the young knight said, drawing his longsword from its sheath. "I'll only be able to hold them off for so long."

Lucina turned to face him, eyes widened in shock. "W-what?!" she cried, utter disbelief coursing through her. "Y-you can't be serious! I'm not leaving without you!"

"There's no time to argue!" he replied. "Don't worry about me! I'll be following you soon enough!"

"But–!"

"Just go! Don't look back!"

Taking one last look at her companion, Lucina blinked back tears and – after a moment's hesitation – rushed for the portal, leaping into it with faith that it would take her to where she needed to be.

She did not look back.

---

Location: West of Ylisstol

Chrom and Lissa took a fairly leisurely pace through the forest, heading in the direction from which Chrom had heard the earlier unnatural sounds. Lissa gazed around in wonder, taking in the sights and sounds from the unfamiliar surroundings of the pre-daylight forest. There wasn't much in the way of sounds – just the calls of nocturnal birds and insects that punctuated the quietness of the night – but even that was an adventure in and of itself for someone who was exploring the world outside for the first time.

The blue-haired man couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips. As active as he was, he'd always enjoyed the quiet peace of the world while it was asleep. He chuckled as Lissa yawned in a decidedly un-ladylike manner, her back popping as she stretched just that little bit too far.

As they reached a clearing, Lissa slowed to a halt, looking up quizzically as if noticing something for the first time. Chrom stopped as well, feeling that something was indeed off. The night was still quiet, as it was earlier, but it was suddenly heavier, and he could now hear his own breathing…

'… Wait, that's not right…' he thought. 'The night's not just quiet… it's gone completely still!'

Lissa took a step back towards him. "… It sure is dark…" she said uncertainly. "… And quiet. Where did all the birds go?"

Chrom frowned. "Something is definitely wrong here…" he replied as he tensed himself. "Lissa, keep close to me."

Before Chrom could say anything else, his ears once again picked up the sound he'd heard earlier. Lissa's expression had contorted into one of anxiety, and she screamed as the ground suddenly shook with enough force to nearly throw Chrom to the ground had he not braced himself. His sister quickly wrapped her arms around his torso – Chrom doing the same around her shoulders and lowering them both to their knees – as the quake uprooted several trees and sent them falling to the ground with loud crashes.

Chrom loosened his grip on his sister. "… Lissa," he said, his tone calm, firm, and brooking no argument. "Run."

The blonde girl looked up at her brother with a questioning, frightened stare. "Huh?"

His eyes narrowed. "I mean it, go now! Run!" he said, giving her a gentle push to get a head start. He looked back for a moment, gritting his teeth as he wondered just what in the name of god was going on, before taking off after his younger sister.

He was not a moment too soon. Just seconds after he'd vacated the clearing, a fissure split it right down the middle as the earth roared and fragmented with each violent tremor. The side further away from Chrom raised itself upwards, allowing a wall of liquid fire to tear the cracks wide open as it shot out from beneath the ground and into the air, setting trees ablaze and giving birth to an all-consuming conflagration. Balls of flame leapt up from the molten lava, joining the wildfire in illuminating the night sky as they took lazy, graceful arcs in the air before coming down, crashing into the forest and marking their impacts with explosive, earth-shaking force.

The siblings raced through the destruction with reckless abandon, panic and adrenaline fueling their flight as the forest continued its transformation into hell on earth. Lissa ran as quickly as she could, but was quickly overtaken by the much fitter Chrom, who then took the lead from his sister.

"This way!" the blue-haired man yelled as he suddenly veered off to the left, fire raining down all around him and blocking off their original path of escape with more flames and collapsed trees. Lissa stumbled at the sudden change of direction, but managed to keep on her feet and continue to run as another quake shook the ground.

'Damn it, what in the name of Naga is going on?!' Chrom thought as he leapt down a newly-formed cliff, Lissa following him down just as another fireball slammed into the ground they'd been standing on.

The two continued to run, the forest flames spreading with every passing moment.

---

Robin had snapped awake the moment he'd felt the ground beneath him shake.

It hadn't taken much longer for the tectonic movement to rouse Frederick, either, the armored man immediately springing to full alertness and assessing their situation. He'd grown alarmed quite quickly as soon as he realized that Chrom and Lissa were nowhere to be seen in their little campsite. It was almost admirable, Robin had to admit how, even in the midst of a massive earthquake, he was still concerned for those he was tasked with protecting…

He said almost, because the overly suspicious knight had nearly skewered Robin right then and there, the white-haired man evading death by placating the knight for the time being through the use of some quick thinking and logical explanations of their situation. While clearly still unable to fully trust him, Frederick had acquiesced, agreeing that rescuing Chrom and Lissa was top priority given their situation.

'It's a good thing he did. Not only do we not know where they are, it's raining fire!' the amnesiac man thought grimly to himself as he looked up over Frederick's shoulder at the distant flames that illuminated the night sky, punctuated by rising smoke columns and fireballs that arced through the air.

"Do earthquakes normally happen in this area?!" he shouted to be heard over the din of the chaos.

The knight shook his head. "No, the southern regions almost never suffer from these sorts of earthquakes!" came the yelled reply. "They're more common up north, but even then they're never of this magnitude! Just hold on tight!"

Robin frowned at that information as Frederick spurred his steed forward, racing directly towards the heart of the forest wildfire. The winds whipped at his snow-white hair, and were it not for Frederick's larger frame and suit of armor Robin was sure his skin might have been ripped off him considering how quickly they were traveling.

'Chrom, Lissa, be safe! We're coming!'

---

Lucina's leap of faith saw her leaping through the portal right into a raging inferno.

'No… am I too late?' she thought as she dropped the several meters with ease, landing in a low crouch amidst the burning trees. A pair of low, raspy growls emanating from behind Lucina alerted her to the presence of a pair of the same ghoulish undead warriors that had plagued her time. 'What?! Their scourge has already reached even here?!'

Spinning to face her foe as she drew her sword from its scabbard, Lucina leaped into action, somersaulting over the first ghoul and swinging her weapon in an arc as the Risen passed beneath her. Her blade cut into the monster with no resistance, the corpse collapsing as it began to disintegrate into smoke. Hitting the ground in a three-point landing, the cerulean-haired warrior's head snapped up as she rose and spun in one smooth motion, decapitating the second monster before it could even raise its weapon.

Lucina sheathed her sword and brought her off-hand to her face, checking to make sure her mask was still securely fastened. Nodding to herself, she made to take a step forward before a sudden realization stopped her cold. She quickly looked up at the sky, spotting the portal she'd fallen out from as it stood out from the pre-dawn sky, even with the flames lighting it up.

Her eyes widened in panic as the gateway from the future closed, leaving no trace of the rip in time and space having ever been there. Quickly, she looked around, trying to spot her blue-haired companion amidst the trees and flames. A cold feeling settled into her stomach, spreading out to her limbs as a frightening thought embedded itself in her mind. Was she… was she alone here?

"Leon? Leon, are you there?" she asked as her eyes darted left and right, seeking out the comforting, familiar sight of the other warrior who'd not left her side for as long as she could remember. Lucina quickly began running, already fearing for the worst as she continued to look, her efforts growing ever more frantic the more ground she covered. She hadn't seen him enter the portal after her… was he even…?

'No! D-don't think that way! He's fine! He has to be…! He… he has to be…'

"… L-Leon…? Leon, p-please… answer me…! Y-you're here, aren't you?!" she called out, her voice growing ever more desperate as the reality of her situation began to sink in. There was no sight of her companion anywhere, solidifying a block of ice in her gut as a dark cloud of fresh fear and anxiety gripped her heart. A sudden tremor threw her off-balance, making her stumble onto her hands and knees.

'This can't be real… Please… please, don't let this be real…'

"Please… don't leave me alone…" Lucina whispered, tears beginning to prick at the corners of her eyes as she felt the sudden urge to just collapse and curl up into a ball. "I… I can't do this alone… I can't… I need you…"

Before Lucina could be overtaken by her fear and desperation, a scream punctuated the air, making her snap her head up in response. The outside stimuli seemed to bring the cerulean-haired warrior back to her senses, as she violently shook her head to try and clear the darkness from her mind.

'No! Stop it…!' she told herself as she shakily picked herself up from the ground. 'What are you doing?! The world needs you to be Marth right now!'

Lucina swallowed heavily, forcing her tears back. 'He… he'd want you to do your best! He's fine, so focus on what you can do now!'

With a heavy heart filled with many fears and doubts, the cerulean-haired warrior raced into the inferno, and into an unfamiliar new world.

---

Lissa doubled over, putting her hands on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath.

Chrom, too, was breathing heavily, but he managed to stay standing upright as he looked at the forest fire burning in the distance. A frown crossed his lips as he wondered what manner of sorcery could have brought about this sort of disaster. He was quickly jolted out of his thoughts by his sister's gasp of surprise.

"Brother! What is that?!" Lissa said, pointing up into the sky.

The blue-haired man glanced at his sister before quickly following her outstretched arm up into the sky. His eyes widened and he took a step back at the sight.

An otherworldly blue sigil tainted with a purple glow floated in the middle of the sky. It was a strange portal of some kind, surrounded on the periphery by a crown of six smaller eyes. It reeked of something dark and sinister as it eerily gazed down at the world – particularly the two siblings standing before it.

Chrom and Lissa could only stare with horrified expressions as dark spots formed on the sigil, growing into vaguely human shapes that dropped a full twenty meters to the ground. They hit the earth headfirst with sickening thuds, making Chrom's stomach lurch for a brief moment.

He very nearly lost his dinner when those same humanoid figures picked themselves up off the ground with a slowness and fluidity that was anything but human. The two inhuman creatures let out raspy growls as they straightened up, revealing dark leather armor and gray, dead-looking skin. They leveled malicious gazes at Chrom with eerie, glowing red eyes as they each brandished a sharp axe.

"… Lissa, you'd better stand back," Chrom said, his even tone serving to mask the panic he was feeling. He drew Falchion from its sheath and held it out before him in a two-handed grip, the feeling of its weight and handle in his hands comforting to him and serving to calm his frantic nerves.

The two creatures shuffled forward, black miasma leaking all the while from their mouths as they continued their raspy, inhuman growling. Suddenly, one creature lunged forward, breaking out into an aggressive dash as it made a beeline for Chrom.

It raised its axe over its head and struck with a quick blow, but the blue-haired man was even faster, brandishing Falchion as he sidestepped the monster's attack and struck at its midsection with a horizontal slash that should have bisected it cleanly.

The sound of the monster hitting the ground failed to reach his ears, but a series of cracking sounds made Chrom gasp and turn. The creature had turned its head fully around to look at him even as the rest of its body remained facing in the opposite direction. It swung its axe with impossible strength and speed, black miasma pouring from the wound Chrom had made on its body. The blue-haired man arrested the axe's motion with his blade, grunting with the effort as he struggled – even with two hands gripping Falchion – to push against his opponent's one-handed swing.

Pouring his strength into breaking the deadlock quickly, Chrom shoved the monster's axe away and, with an inarticulate battle cry, delivered a vicious jab with Falchion's pommel right into the monster's face, sending it sprawling to the ground. Capitalizing on the opportunity, the blue-haired man flourished his blade and leaped high into the air, dropping right on top of the humanoid abomination and driving the tip of his blade right into its spine. The monster grew still, instantly dissolving into a purple mist that dissipated in the wind.

It had only taken a few moments, but Chrom found himself strangely out of breath after the exchange. Before he could even bring his thoughts into order, his sister's scream punctuated the air, making his head snap up as he turned in her direction.

"Lissa!"

His sister had her back up against a tree, holding her staff up in a feeble defensive posture as the second creature shuffled menacingly towards her and raised its axe. Chrom bolted into a sprint, desperately hoping and praying that he could make it even as the rational part of his mind realized that there was no way he'd cross the entire distance in time.

As the monster's axe came down, Lissa looked away and screwed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable blow.

"Ugh!"

The expected sound of steel cutting into flesh never came. Instead, the distinctive sound of metal clashing against metal resounded through the air, barely masking a strained grunt of effort.

Chrom's sprint came to a halt as he eyed the scene before him. A new figure – a young man, Chrom figured – had interposed himself between his sister and the monster, keeping the axe at bay with a broadsword balanced over his shoulders and back.

The new entry to the fight grit his teeth, taking strained breaths as he fought against the pressure being exerted by the monster's inhuman strength. However, in spite of his valiant efforts, he slowly began to give way as the monster forced him to one knee, his sword coming ever closer to his back.

The stranger turned to look at Chrom. "Hurry! I can't hold it for long!" he shouted in a strained voice.

His words seemed to snap the larger man out of his stupor. "R-right!" he said as he rushed forward, letting out a war cry as he brandished Falchion in a two-handed grip.

Chrom's approach gained the attention of the monster as it looked up, its axe no longer pressing down with all of the creature's strength and weight behind it. The other man let out a breath as the axe lifted off and quickly took the opportunity to rise into an attack, knocking the monster off-balance and setting it up for a killing blow. He flourished his blade and struck true, his and Chrom's blades tearing through the monster from the front and back.

The world grew silent for a brief moment – the breathing of the three people the only thing that could be heard – before the second monster dissolved into mist just like the first one.

The newcomer took a deep breath, steadying himself as he sheathed his sword once more. Chrom still held Falchion in his own hand as he gazed at the stranger.

"… Quite the entrance," he remarked lightly, before growing serious. "Just… who and what… are you…?"

The stranger turned halfway, surprising Chrom with the sight of an ornate, midnight blue mask that obscured the upper half of the young man's face.

'This is certainly becoming quite the day for mysterious strangers and events…'

The sound of a galloping horse alerted the three figures to an approaching horse, and they all turned to see the armored steed of Frederick come into view.

"Milord! Milady! Are you hurt?" he asked urgently as his steed came to a halt near the trio. Robin swung a leg over and dismounted, giving Frederick a pat on the arm as thanks for the ride before walking over to the siblings.

Lissa broke out into a relieved smile. "Frederick! Robin!" she said, greeting the pair. She was clutching onto her staff tightly with shaking hands, but she was definitely putting on a brave face for everyone at the moment. Chrom had to smile at that. If anything, her determination was inspiring, and he found himself filled with a renewed energy to fight on.

Frederick nodded while Robin returned the smile, acknowledging the greeting, before the sounds of low growls alerted the small group. Turning towards the deeper parts of the forest, where the flames were still burning, they could make out more of those humanoid shadows, their eerie red eyes clearly visible in the darkness of the woods as they shuffled forwards.

The white-haired man frowned. "Are such horrific… creatures… commonplace in this land?" he asked, hesitating as he tried to find a word to use to describe the foul horde that now stood before their group.

Chrom shook his head. "They're not from Ylisse, I can assure you that," he replied.

The masked man remained silent, tensing as the creatures shuffled into view. There were more of the same from earlier – zombie-esque soldiers brandishing swords and axes – but there were a few that wore nothing but loincloths and hoods, their elongated arms ending in wicked looking talons that looked like they could rend flesh and armor with equal ease. All in all, there were about a dozen of them, and Chrom was sure that their slow, shambling movements were only temporary. The first two had proved that much.

Frederick sighed in relief. "No one is injured, then? Thank the gods…"

"Thank the masked man who saved me!" Lissa said, grinning as she pointed to the masked man, who kept a respectful distance from them but stayed close enough to be a part of the conversation. "If it wasn't for him, I'd have surely been a goner!"

Robin nodded. "Well, I'm sure we can all do so once this battle's concluded, right, Chrom?"

"Yeah," the blue-haired man replied, chuckling in spite of the nervousness he was feeling in spades.

---

Robin frowned, watching out of the corner of his eye how the masked man almost flinched every time Chrom spoke. He made a good job of hiding it, but Robin was quite observant – he'd definitely noticed the other's reaction. There was also something else about him that didn't sit quite right with Robin, but it wasn't a something he could particularly pinpoint at the moment.

'Well, I can figure out what it is later,' he thought, banishing ideas about the masked man from the forefront of his mind. 'First things first.'

"Eyes open, now," Frederick admonished the pair. "We know nothing about these enemies, so we should take all necessary caution."

"Alright, let's see…" Robin said, taking a few steps forward to stand alongside the masked man. He could feel the stranger's eyes on him – it was quite obvious he was watching, even if he tried to make it less obvious – as he assessed the battlefield before them.

The snow-haired man turned back to Chrom. "You don't mind if I take command, do you?" he asked.

Chrom grinned. "Be my guest," he said. "I think I speak for all of us when I say you haven't given us reason to doubt you just yet."

Out of the corner of his eye, Robin noticed the masked man tense again – his grip on his sword's hilt tightening ever so slightly – as Chrom spoke.

Dismissing it from his mind, he nodded. "I'll do my best, then," he replied. "So, here's how we'll do things. When I give the signal, Frederick will break off from us and run interference around the battle's perimeter, hitting the enemy from the flanks and the rear. He'll be a mobile force that will hopefully prevent the enemy from falling on us with everything they've got."

The knight nodded, hefting his shield and lance. "Consider it done."

"Meanwhile, Chrom and I will hit them from the front, along with our mute friend here," Robin continued, gesturing at the masked man, who tensed, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

Noticing the other's discomfort, Robin turned to face the masked man. "You don't mind fighting alongside us, do you? I won't force you to work together with our group, but it would be quite the boon if you could lend us your aid."

The masked man gazed off to the side, clearly hesitant and uncertain, before giving a nearly-imperceptible nod. "I… will have your back, then, as I hope you do mine," came the reply, his voice smooth, soft, and melodious.

Robin smiled lightly, masking his suspicions. "Of course. Thank you," he said gratefully before he turned back to include Chrom as well. "As I was saying, the three of us will meet the enemy head-on."

Lissa bounded up next to the snow-haired man. "What about me?"

The amnesiac hummed thoughtfully. "Let me see…" he murmured as he scanned the battleground, his eyes lighting up as he spotted some small ruins standing in the middle of the clearing. "Say, are those…?"

"Abandoned forts, yes," Frederick said, confirming Robin's thoughts as his steed strode up next to the snow-haired man.

"Great," Robin said. "Then we'll make one of the forts the target of our initial advance. Lissa can take shelter while the three of us fight around it until the enemies' numbers thin. Once the numerical odds are more even, we push forward and catch them between ourselves and Frederick."

---

Chrom nodded, once again impressed with how Robin was conducting himself and with the plan he was drawing up for their inferior numbers.

'You're truly quite the blessing, my friend,' he thought. As was the case in Southtown, Robin's ability to utilize the terrain to make up for his limited resources was most impressive. If anything, it let Chrom know that the other man was most definitely the resourceful type.

'It almost makes me wonder what he could do if he had the proper resources…'

Tactical know-how aside, it was Robin's composure which was most remarkable at the moment. If the wanton destruction that surrounded the snow-haired man had unnerved him any, he certainly wasn't showing any signs of it as he calmly assessed the battle conditions and planned accordingly.

The destruction had definitely left Chrom shaken, but the composure Robin was showing even while surrounded by all this destruction was unnerving for the blue-haired man, to say the least. It's almost as if such sights were commonplace to the amnesiac, a thought which he didn't quite want to ponder.

Regardless of the reason for it, steel nerves such as those were exactly the quality Chrom was looking for in a tactician for his unit. Hell, he wouldn't be lying if he'd admitted that he already saw Robin as the tactician the Shepherds – and maybe even Ylisse itself – needed.

Growls from the approaching mob, though, reminded Chrom of work to be done.

Shelving his thoughts of Robin's potential future for later, the blue-haired man brandished Falchion as he took his place a few paces away from the subject of his thoughts. 'There will be time for that later.'

---

Robin was pleased to see the masked man step up beside him, on the opposite side from Chrom. If any of his previous apprehension was still present, he was doing a very good job of pretending it had disappeared for the time being. The smaller man drew his sword, turning his body away to prevent either Robin or Chrom from getting a good look at it.

The white-haired man raised an eyebrow at such a curious movement, but simply shrugged and decided to file it away as something he could think about later.

As they stood side-by-side, Robin couldn't help but notice the startling amount of blue on the masked man, and it wasn't just his hair. Virtually his entire outfit was in some shade or another of blue. His long-sleeved tunic and shoulder plates were both lined with gold trim, however, giving him the indication that he might have been of high class. Thigh-high boots covered his legs, although his trousers peeked out in the small portion of his legs that his boots and long tunic failed to cover. A red and gold shield-like brooch fastened a cape over his shoulders, while brown leather belts met at a golden buckle on his left hip, one circling around his waist while the second crossed his chest and looped around over his right shoulder. Fingerless leather gloves, a golden tiara, a jeweled earring on his right ear, and his ornate mask completed his ensemble.

He was… definitely a mysterious figure, but Robin could say with some semblance of certainty that their masked friend was used to some form of high society, and it wasn't just his outfit. Everything from his stance to the tilt of the chin spoke to him having had quite the well-to-do upbringing.

There was still that one little thing about the masked man that bothered Robin, however. He couldn't really pinpoint what exactly it was… and while he'd told himself it would be something to consider afterwards, the white-haired man for some reason just couldn't seem to shake off the feeling that it was something obvious.

'Alright, stop with the random thoughts,' he told himself. 'Get your head in the game.'

Robin drew his sword and tome out, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia wash over him with both of them out. He could feel the masked man's eyes on him, but it wasn't important right now. He was only focused on protecting his allies, and defeating the enemies in front of him.

"Frederick, go now," he said, the knight nodding and spurring his steed into action. "Everyone else, with me."

The group made a beeline to the nearer of the two fortifications, their quick advance made easier by the creatures' slowed advance. Robin frowned at that… they were probably unsure of how to face an organized resistance. It was something to keep in mind for future reference if he ever had to face these monsters again.

The monsters were much closer now, their advance slower than earlier but still constant. There were barely a dozen paces standing between the two groups, and Robin took the time to assess their opponents. He could easily make out the details on individual masks and armor pieces, while puffs of black miasma poured out from their mouths with every growl and raspy, ragged breath.

"Pick a god and pray!" Frederick suddenly yelled as he appeared from behind the creatures, crashing into the formation with full force and swinging his lance at enemies within his reach as he reached the edge of the monsters' scattered group. The knight's actions spurred the enemy into action, a few turning to amble after Frederick, while the rest quickly broke into rabid sprints, aiming directly at the three warriors standing arrayed around the ruined fort.

Robin lowered himself into a combat stance, right side leading. "Get ready. Just stick together and watch each other's backs!" he said, the two warriors by his side only managing nods in reply.

The lead monsters reached the trio of warriors, one of them leaping at Robin with inhuman speed. The white-haired man narrowed his eyes as he sidestepped its lunge, ignoring it for the time being as a second monster right behind the first had raised its axe. Continuing his movement into a spin, he brought his sword up in an arc and quite literally disarmed the monster, its arm dissolving into mist as black miasma poured from its wound. With a flick of his wrist, Robin swung again, his blade cutting into the monster's chest as it moved past him before disintegrating.

Beside him, Chrom leaped into the fray, swinging his sword in a two-handed blow that tore through a monster from right shoulder to left hip before twisting around to arrest the momentum of a second monster's sword before it could find its mark. The blue-haired man pushed his opponent's sword backwards before spinning into a vicious slash that bisected the creature, and that was the last Robin saw of the other man before he was lost to the general melee.

A raspy growl behind Robin alerted him to the presence of his initial aggressor, the snow-haired man refocusing his attention as he turned to face the creature. However, the masked man was suddenly at Robin's side, cape fluttering as his blade flashed through the air. He parried the monster's sword, twisting his body with lithe grace as he danced around a second creature that swiped at him with its wicked-looking talons. The masked man was a mesmerizing sight to behold. It was almost as if he wasn't even fighting. He simply moved into empty spaces, avoiding attacks from whatever direction they came as he danced into and out of combat.

Shaking his head, Robin forced his thoughts aside. 'Stop watching and help him, you dolt!'

Robin quickly rushed forward and took a running leap, swinging his sword into the path of an axe that had been aimed at the masked man's back. The two blades met with a clang, alerting the masked man to the contact behind him. A look of surprise briefly passed the taciturn man's features before he grit his teeth and somersaulted into the air, cutting the monster down as his body arced over it. With the pressure on his blade lifted, Robin tossed his weapon up into the air as he snapped his tome open, its pages and runes already glowing with mana. In one smooth motion, Robin turned towards the masked man and whipped his right arm out, runes and magic circles already forming around his arm as golden energy crackled within his palm.

"Thunder!" he yelled, his hand firing out a golden bolt of lightning that flew right past the masked man's shoulder, striking one of the monsters that had been sneaking up behind him. If the masked man was alarmed any by the closeness of the spell, he kept it hidden beneath his stoic expression as he lunged forward, his sword flashing over Robin's shoulder and striking down a monster that had been looking to blindside the white-haired amnesiac.

Robin's sword fell from the air as the masked man withdrew his weapon, taking a few steps back to seemingly assess the snow-haired man as he snapped his tome shut and caught the blade in his free hand. Turning to face the masked man, Robin gave him a slightly sheepish grin.

"Sorry about the close call," he said. "I admit I got a little nervous when you rushed forward at me."

The masked man tilted his head ever so slightly. "I did say I would watch your back," he replied, his voice soft but even. "We can call it even."

With a brief lull in combat, Robin took a moment to assess the flow of battle. Chrom stood a few steps away, parrying a blow from one of the monsters before retaliating with a slash that cut it down before it could regain its balance. Another of the creatures had rushed up behind the blue-haired man, prompting both Robin and the masked man to start running towards it in alarm.

Before the pair could scream out warnings or the creature could bring its axe down, an arrow cut through the air and found its mark, burying itself directly into one of the monsters' glowing eyes. Robin looked up in the direction the arrow had come from, spotting an archer using the elevation of the abandoned fort as a vantage point. The archer waved a hand at him before drawing another arrow and firing once more, dropping another monster with a shot to the throat. Robin nodded in acknowledgement, not knowing who the archer was, but glad nonetheless that he was there to cover them and protect Lissa.

Turning back to the battle, Robin looked around for Frederick. The knight was still causing chaos, tossing creatures left and right with swings and jabs from his lance as he charged through the melee. However, the snow-haired amnesiac noted that there was another mounted knight who'd also joined the battle, emulating Frederick's hit-and-run movements. She definitely had some lungs in her, as Robin could hear her yelled curses and insults all the way from where he stood.

'Hmm… more of Chrom's Shepherds, I'm guessing?'

Deciding he could get his answers later, Robin searched for the closest enemy, spotting a creature larger than the rest of the mob ambling towards them. Its eyes glowed with malevolence, black miasma pouring out from its mouth and joints as its glowing red eyes bored into the snow-haired man's own.

"Looks like that thing's their leader," he murmured. Before either of them could react, the monster let loose a bloodcurdling roar and took off, rushing right at them with wild abandon.

Robin sheathed his sword for the time being and opened his tome once more. "Can you take the lead?" he asked. His masked battle partner looked at him for a brief moment before he nodded, flourishing his blade and charging forward, Robin following in his wake at a slower pace as he gathered mana for his spell.

The monster recklessly swung its axe at the masked man the moment he entered its attack range, but the azure warrior reacted quickly, vaulting into the air and evading the slash. He twisted in midair and lashed out with his own sword, his counterattack only managing a glancing blow before the monster turned and swung its free hand. The return blow smashed into the masked man, knocking him away. He hit a tree back-first with sickening force, letting out a cry of pain before falling to the ground.

Robin's eyes widened as he watched the taciturn warrior struggle to pick himself up off the ground, but his attention was forced back to the creature as it loomed over him, axe raised. Biting back a curse, the amnesiac man dove to the right, the axe biting into the earth where he'd been standing just a few moments ago. He came up in a crouch, hand raised and crackling with power as he fired a bolt of lightning at the creature. His attack struck the creature square in the chest, sending tendrils of electricity racing across its body as it roared in pain.

Enraged, the creature rushed at him with even greater speed than before, swinging its axe wildly. Robin snapped his tome closed and dodged the first blow, unsheathing his sword and bringing it up to parry a second and third swing. The snow-haired man held strong, but the force of the third swing still sent him skidding several feet away, his heels digging into the dirt as he ground to a halt before he fell to one knee, winded from the force of impact. Before Robin could recover, a fist slammed into his jaw, sending him sprawling to the dirt as his sword and tome landed just outside of his reach.

---

Chrom noticed Robin's predicament and made to move to assist the snow-haired man, but the monsters before him simply refused to stay down even after several blows. He let out a frustrated growl as he parried the sword-wielder's weapon, the other blade banging against Falchion's edge as Chrom gave ground before its ferocious onslaught. Gritting his teeth, the blue-haired man set his feet and met the creature's sword head-on, their blades coming together with a distinctive clang. As the two weapons ground against each other, an arrow suddenly buried itself deep within the monster's elbow, making it roar in pain.

Seeing his chance, Chrom narrowed his eyes and suddenly gave a forceful shove, throwing the creature off-balance and allowing him to bisect it from right hip to left shoulder. The monster finally dissolved into mist, making him breathe out a sigh of relief before spinning to face the other monster that had been pressuring him, barely managing to bring Falchion up against the axe's handle before it could split him wide open.

"Damn it! Robin, no!" he yelled as the large monster stalked up to the downed and disoriented tactician, almost savoring the kill.

---

The snow-haired man shook his head, Chrom's voice having helped to bring his senses back under his control and shake off the spots dancing in his vision. He quickly made to move, but the creature's feet pinned his right shoulder and left thigh, preventing him from moving or escaping. He cried out in pain as the monster piled its weight onto his limb, making it difficult to breathe as the pain grew in intensity until he almost whited out.

He could see Chrom's eyes grow wide as the blue-haired man watched the monster raise its axe over the defenseless tactician.

"ROBIN!" Robin heard Chrom and Lissa shout helplessly as they watched his execution seemingly play out before their eyes.

Before the axe could be brought down, an arrow whistled through the air, cutting into the monster's back. It roared in pain, taking a step back off of Robin, allowing the white-haired man to gasp and take in deep gulps of precious oxygen.

With a cry of anger, the masked man suddenly burst back onto the scene, brandishing his blade and cutting deep into the monster's chest, staggering it and forcing it back several steps. The masked man was quickly at Robin's side, helping the tactician to sit up.

"Ugh… I… I'm alright," he croaked out hoarsely as he fumbled for his weapons, still breathing heavily. "Are… are you?"

The masked man frowned at the man's selflessness. "I am a bit bruised, but I can still fight," he replied. "Stand back, I can –!"

Robin coughed once more as he rose shakily to his feet. "L-like hell are you fine… that hit didn't sound good even from here…" he wheezed out. "We'll… take him together."

A sigh was heard as the masked man placed his free hand against his mask. "… Very well. I shall take point, then, to ease your burden."

"I have your back," Robin said, bringing his labored breathing under control. "… Ready?"

The masked man nodded, turning to face the creature as it roared once more and charged the pair like a rabid hound, oozing black miasma from its wounds all the while.

Robin narrowed his eyes as he snapped his tome open, the pages already flipping as they began to glow with energy. "Wait for him to strike, then dodge to the right," he breathed out. "I'll go left."

The monster roared as it raised its axe and brought it down in a crushing blow, but both Robin and the masked man were more prepared this time. Robin dove left, while the masked man jumped back before circling around to its right.

"Now!" Robin yelled as the monster stalled for a brief moment – seemingly uncertain of which target to follow – before it turned to follow him. "Go low!"

The masked man swept in towards the creature from one side, Robin charging in before leaping directly at the monster as it swung its axe in a wild arc. The tactician slammed his sword against the axe's handle, using the impact to flip himself in midair and land on the creature's undefended flank. The creature swung again in his direction, but Robin had already backpedaled, avoiding serious injury but still unable to avoid the retaliatory strike completely as the axe cut through cloak, shirt, and flesh. Gritting his teeth as pain flashed through his senses, Robin leaped back, sheathing his sword as the masked man rushing in to take his place and parry the creature's follow-up blows. Sword and axe ground together in a shower of sparks as they locked blades, the masked man being quickly forced down onto his knees by the monsters' overwhelming physical strength.

Robin's free hand and tome both crackled with mana as he dug his heels in to arrest his momentum, magic runes and circles forming around him as he channeled the energy into his spell.

"Elthunder!" he called out, a trio of lightning bolts flying out from his raised hand and over the masked man's much smaller form. The bolts smashed right into the monster's chest and head, striking its wounds and drawing even more of the black miasma out. The monster roared, clearly enraged and unhindered by the pain it might have felt, and lashed out with a forceful blow that sent the masked man sprawling onto his back, clearly winded.

Robin sprinted forward as the monster raised its axe again, drawing his sword as he rushed to the masked man's aid. The tactician gripped his weapon and struck with all his strength, catching the monster's axe and shoving it aside before it could strike its intended target. The masked warrior capitalized on the opening, rising up onto his feet and lunging forward. His sword cut through the air in a graceful arc, severing the monster's arm from its body as he shot past.

Robin leaped into the air as the masked man pirouetted to face the monster once more, their two blades flashed through the air as they struck simultaneously and cut jagged tears into the monster's front and back. Streams of black miasma leaked out of the monster's wounds as it let out a single low moan, its eyes losing their hellish red glow. Robin held his breath for a moment, quickly letting out a sigh of relief as the monster indeed grew still before dissipating into purple mist.

The few remaining monsters suddenly slowed down, the aggression disappearing from their movements completely. Some even looked around quizzically, almost indicating that they were unable to function now that they lacked some form of leadership. Frederick and the other knight quickly fell upon the stragglers, cutting them down without any of the prior difficulty they'd experienced.

With the battle winding down and effectively over, Robin took a short moment to survey the battlefield. There was nothing that indicated the creatures had ever existed. The only evidence that a battle had ever taken place here were the broken, discarded weapons that were lying about.

Turning to his masked companion, Robin gave what he hoped was a friendly smile. "That was nicely done," he complimented as he sheathed his sword and returned his tome to its pouch.

The masked man nodded as he sheathed his own blade. "I, as well, found your fighting skills to be admirable," he replied coolly, turning to face Chrom, Lissa, and the archer as they approached. The latter quickly rushed up to Robin, raising her staff up as she set to work on Robin's injuries. The snow-haired man sighed in relief as he felt his wounds and bruises recovering.

'Lissa certainly knows her way around the healing arts,' he thought as he thanked Lissa, the girl grinning cheekily at him in return.

"It seems all the creatures are vanquished, milord," Frederick said as he and the other knight trotted up to the group, Lissa quickly running up to them to heal any wounds they may have incurred. "I daresay the young man's assistance was most invaluable in helping us deal with these… foul beings."

Robin felt himself grow more than a little annoyed. The other knight carried a few scrapes and bruises here and there which Lissa was already taking care of, but Frederick's armor was still as spotless as it had been earlier today. The man looked like he was ready for a parade-in-review, not like he'd just come out from a battle before dawn!

'I will find out his secret… mark my words…'

Finished with her work, Lissa looked up at the masked man, her smile taking on a bashful quality as a pink hue dusted over her cheeks. "Um… I never got to thank you… for earlier, I mean," she said shyly. "So… thank you. You… you were very brave. Thank you for helping us!"

"Please, pay it no mind. Your aid was also most welcomed, and for it you have my gratitude," the masked man replied. He almost looked like he was smiling, but Robin couldn't be too sure. As usual, it was quite hard to get a read on him, especially with his mask obscuring most of his face.

"You have ours, as well," Chrom added. "You saved my sister's life, my friend's life, and fought alongside us. My name is Chrom. Might we have yours?"

The masked man hesitated for a moment - Robin quickly noting the look of conflict that crossed what could be seen of his features – but he nodded.

"You… may call me Marth."

Robin frowned. His voice had changed, almost imperceptibly, but it had definitely changed in a way he couldn't place just yet.

Chrom's eyebrow rose in surprise. "Marth? As in the Hero-King of old?"

Marth nodded again, almost as if he didn't trust himself to speak now.

"Well, you certainly fight like a hero, of that I can assure you," Chrom said easily, trying to be friendly. "Where did you learn your way with a sword? Your swordsmanship was most impressive."

Marth swallowed heavily. "… I'm… I'm not here to talk about me," he replied, Robin noticing that his fisted hands had begun shaking almost uncontrollably. "This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was merely but a prelude of things yet to come." Marth's voice was wavering now, the tactician managing to pick up on it even as the masked man tried to hide all the cracks in his composure. "… You have been warned…"

With his piece said, Marth turned on his heel and strode purposefully into the darkness, disappearing into the forest and leaving the group of five standing there confused.

"Huh? What's teetering where now? Hey, wait!" Lissa called after Marth, but the masked man was already gone.

The archer shrugged from where he stood. "Not much for conversation, is he?" he said, flicking some of his hair out of his face.

"It appears his skills lie elsewhere," Frederick agreed. "I wager we'll hear his name again… and perhaps cross paths, as well."

The group remained silent for a moment, pondering on the events of the evening and Marth's cryptic parting words.

It was Frederick who once again broke the silence. "… For now, I'm more concerned about the capital," he said. "We should make haste."

Chrom nodded. "True… If the same sort of catastrophe has befallen Ylisstol, then our skills will be sorely needed," he remarked. "We should hurry."

Robin frowned as the group made to resume their journey to Ylisstol.

'There's definitely something wrong with Marth… He was hesitant to speak to us, and he could barely hide his trembling,' he thought to himself as he fell in at the back of the group's formation. '… It's almost as if he was scared of something…'

As he continued to ponder over the enigma that was the masked warrior, something suddenly clicked in his mind.

'Ah… that's what was bothering me. I thought I was only imagining things earlier, but… Marth's posture and physique gave me the distinct impression of a girl trying to masquerade as a young man… His voice was also quite feminine in pitch, which might have been part of the reason he was so hesitant to speak, but…'

He frowned at the sudden revelation. "… I'll definitely need to keep an eye out for you, Marth… there's a lot more to you than meets the eye…"

---

Lucina continued at her brisk pace through the woods, not really caring where she was going but knowing she just had to get away from Chrom and his companions. Only when she was sure that she had gone deep enough into the forest that no one would be able to follow her did she slow her pace, coming to a halt and leaning on a large tree that had managed to escape the inferno. Only then did she finally allow herself to drop the facade she'd barely held together as she took off her mask, exposing sapphire eyes that were glistening with tears just begging to be released.

She let out the sob she'd been holding in ever since seeing him again, the mask dropping from her almost-nerveless fingers as she sank to her knees. That had been difficult. That had been one of the most difficult things she had ever done in her life. She should have been happy to see him again, but instead she found herself falling helplessly into a pit of despair.

She'd seen him die, slain by the Fell Dragon before her very eyes… but now, to see him alive and well once more… She'd nearly broken down the moment she saw him and his easy smile. At that moment, she almost didn't care about her mission to save the world. At that moment, she almost didn't even care that she hadn't even been born yet in this time. At that moment, all she wanted to do was just rush into his arms and find sanctuary of a parent's embrace.

The cerulean-haired girl had barely managed to resist the temptation. Her heart screamed at her to do it, while her mind told her that she couldn't jeopardize her mission just to satisfy her own desires. She had felt her self-control slowly breaking down as her rationality and emotions fought for supremacy, the rational arguments becoming weaker and weaker with each passing second as the voice of her heart screamed in her ear for her to just let the truth be known and seek comfort.

Lucina had known that she couldn't allow herself to be selfish. The thought that she'd only be able to see her family from afar yet never feel the comfort of their love once again had pained her, but seeing him with her own two eyes and knowing she couldn't reveal herself had left her utterly devastated, her self-control barely able to hold back the emotions she'd kept locked away for years but which were now begging for release. The dull ache that accompanied her each day had roared to life, making her heart throb with a deep pain that rocked her being with every beat and made her want to just tell him everything every time he'd asked her a question.

As much as it had pained her, she'd ignored her heart's cries and stayed true to her wavering resolve. No matter what she wanted, the mission had to come first before any sort of desire. As soon as she'd felt herself falter, she'd decided that it was going to be far too dangerous for her to stay anywhere near Chrom and his group for the time being, so she'd done the one thing she knew she could do.

Just like she'd done many times in the past, she'd turned and fled.

"Why… why is this so hard…?" Lucina whispered, hugging herself with trembling hands as her tears finally began to fall, staining her pale cheeks as they traced paths down her face. "I can't… I just can't…"

The fears that had been allayed by the rush of battle now came flooding back with a vengeance, engulfing her in a cold, harsh truth that she could no longer deny.

For the first time Lucina could remember since being freed from captivity… she was suddenly alone, with no one to turn to in her moments of weakness. She couldn't turn to Chrom and his Shepherds, that was a certainty. Her friends were still in a time and world she could no longer return to… and her most trusted companion was missing, maybe even…

"No! Don't think that!" she screamed at herself. "He can't… he can't be dead…"

Lucina curled into a ball beneath the tree as a light rain began to fall, the tears now streaming uncontrollably as she lost all sense of composure and control.

"Leon…" she whimpered weakly as she sobbed. "… Please… this isn't… this isn't something I can do alone… I can't be Marth alone…"