"Auntie Lissa, where's daddy?" and there it was, the question she wanted to avoid with all of her being, because how do you tell 2 kids that mommy and daddy are never coming back, and the only things left of them are a sword and a ring?.

But it's not like she had any choice in the matter, as her stoic friend left clear enough, if she didn't who would?. And so, she stepped forward, not with confidence or bravery, but simple acceptance, that this was her role, that THIS was her burden, to break the hearts of two young girls and be unable to do anything to stop it.

She kept walking until she arrived in front of the oldest, and she kneeled presenting the sword to her, swallowing the lump in her throat she started "I'm sorry but the Exalt is not coming back this time, he perished in battle against Plegia" she said in a solemn tone, not like an aunt should tell her niece that her father died, but the way she had to inform the next Exalt that her time to rule unfortunately arrived earlier than anybody wanted to.

"Auntie, this is not the time for games where's daddy?" asked the youngest of the two, not wanting to accept the situation in front of her, "Daddy was the strongest, nobody could defeat him, right Luci?" she turned to her older sister expecting reassurance from her, what she saw was NOT that.

Lucina clutched the sword as she looked at her aunt, tears starting to form, only for her to rub them away from her eyes, "I understand aunt, this means that my childhood is over, isn't it?" Lucina just looked at the sword and then to the other two occupants of the room, "I would like to be alone for a while please" she said to her aunt, who nodded and picked up her sister, "Luci…" she said looking at her older sister who just smiled her way "I'll be fine Cynthia, i just need a minute alone".

She saw them leave and waited until she didn't hear their footsteps anymore, when that happened the blade felt to the ground with a thud, the girl beside it looked at the blade with anger "You promised, you promised that you would come back, that you would teach me proper way to use Falchion, that you would never let me take such a responsibility as being the Exalt so quickly, so why?, WHY AREN'T YOU HOLDING THIS SWORD INSTEAD OF ME!?, WHY AREN'T YOU BACK AS YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD!?, why did you leave me?" she asked, tears streaming down her eyes while she screamed at the blade hoping for an answer that never arrived.

—-

"That's shoulda be the last of them'' said the man clutching his spear, black smoke rising all around him, "Now where woulda Nah be?" he said looking around failing to notice the arrow going for his back,

**THUNK** only for it to crash against…. Something, and then a javelin being stuck on the risen, this one falling to the floor before disintegrating.

"Whatda" screamed the man pointing his spear to wherever the attack came from, "Whosa there!?" he kept screaming at the air, "uhm, mister Donnel?" he heard a voice beside him "Yarne go back something dangerous is out here" the man in the pot was afraid he could not see the danger but knew it was here, just where?.

"That's my father sir" said the taguel to the spearman, "Oh, well at least i know it's not an enemy, why doesn't he say anything then?" he asked the kid, clearly confused, "I was, you just didn't hear me" the mountain of a man said, finally being heard or actually seen.

"Sorry Kellam" he said sheepishly, "Don't worry about it, at least the four of us are still alive, that's what matters right now" the gentle giant said looking to his surroundings making sure there was no movement, "Oh right, Nah where are ya!?" he screamed realizing that his daughter was not there, "I'm here father" was the answer of the child sitting in one of the trees.

"Oh thank Naga, Don't know what woulda i done if something happened to ya" he said to his daughter, "Which is why i'm not leaving, can't leave you alone or something might happen to you" said the young manakete with a smile "Nah, my father asks if you could turn into a dragon and see how far are we from the end of the forest" asked the taguel while looking up to her, "Ahead of you, we are close, just need to keep walking in that direction" was her answer as she descended from her tree and started pointing, "If i recall correctly the main road should be after dis, then it's only a straight walk until we reach Ylisstol" said the spearman as he looked to the knight, "I believe so as well" said the knight on his usual gentle tone, "Let's go then, to our friends".

—-

Inigo walked through the halls, making sure to take as many routes as possible and ask for directions until he reached his destination at the library, "Hello miss Mireil, Laurent" he said to both mages who promptly ignored him in favor of the tome they were creating, smiling he kept walking until he arrived at the last person in the library, this one talking with the crows beside him as he studied a book of his own, "Hello mister Henry" his smile never leaving, "Oh, hello Inigo, good to see you are still cawking, how's Olivia?" said the man with a smile as the crows settled on his arms so he could converse with the human, "She's fine although father died" answered the child without a single stray of sadness, "Really?, what a shame, if i hadn't been injured beforehand i might have died as well" he said with slight sadness, his smile leaving his face for a moment. "But then Brady and Maribelle would be sad, that would be bad so maybe it is for the best" he said with his smile returning instantly.

"Also you are getting better at faking that smile of yours" he said as one of his crows started caulking, "What is Naesala?, did some-".

*ROAR*

Miriel looked up recognizing that roar instantly, meanwhile Henry just ran outside with all the speed he could muster, Miriel following him close by, Inigo looks at Laurent who nods and both go outside following the adults.

As they reached the courtyard they saw the cause of the noise, "Is that a wyvern?" was the question from the white haired child looking to his more knowledgeable friend, "Indeed, but why did it land here in the middle of humans?" as he said that Henry approached the wyvern taking something from her back, Miriel meanwhile making sure to check for any injuries.

"So Cherche and Frederick died as well" Henry said looking over at Minerva who just let out a whimper, "I see" was all he said while looking at the child, "Henry, make sure to keep her company, i will search for medics she's injured, badly" said Miriel as she took running off to search for said medics.

Henry just looked at the powerful wyvern and smiled sadly "You did well Minerva, very well" he started petting her, trying to emulate the way Cherche did in the past, Laurent meanwhile looked at the child being held by Henry "Gerome?" he said surprised looking at his friend, "Oh you know him too?" Henry said looking at his friend's child "Yes, we used to play together a few years back" as he said that Miriel arrived some healers behind her who started to treat the wounded wyvern as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile Inigo turned around and started walking away "Can't really ask Henry for help right now, guess i'll have to ask her instead, just hope she doesn't attack me on sight just because who i am son of" he muttered to himself, a destination set in mind to see a friend and her mother.