The sky was nothing but a gray landscape. The rain was pouring as if the sky itself was crying. Robin was silent as she looked out the window. It has been a week since they managed to get back to Ferox. The air is tense, no one is happy. She had never seen Chrom so broken. The grief, anger, and sorrow filled his eyes as he cut down the Plegain Soldiers. When he was on the verge of striking down General Mustafa, the battle was interrupted by the Deadlord they first encountered when they met all those months ago. Again, both sides were forced to flee. But not before Chrom clashed again with the Deadlord. The battle brought shivers to her spine as she recalled how the Deadlord fought. It had a similar fighting style to Chrom. However, its' fighting style was brutal, with no mercy whatsoever. The prince has barely been given the time to grieve. She was grateful that Sumia's punch to the face made him snap out of it. Now, no longer swallowed in grief and anger, the past few days have allowed Chrom to grieve, accept, and also rest a bit. It is something he and Lissa needed. Especially after they both witnessed those important to them lose their lives. Emmeyrn, who gave her life to send her a message and save her family. Frederick, who fought in the battle but was crushed. Robin snapped out of her thoughts when the door to the infirmary opened. Lysithea walked out like she had seen a ghost. She dropped to her knees panting.
"I never want to do that ever again!" The girl screeched and Felix quickly ran to help her stand properly.
"How is Phila?" The group turned to see Chrom walking up to them.
Behind him were the Shepherds along with the two recruits, Derrick and Tharja. The Khans had also joined. Lysithea weakly gave a thumbs up.
"Phila will live."
"WHOOOOOO!"
It had been a while since joy and relief filled a place. Chrom could not help let go of a sigh of relief and gave the girl a tight hug.
"Thank you..." he sobbed and Lysithea shook her head.
"I may be the one to have operated on her but...Sophia is the one you should be thanking." Lysithea muttered as she placed her hand on her forehead, "I...these techniques...Just kind of magic did she use to pass them down to me?"
"Memory Transfer." Lysithea looked over to Derrick, "It is an ancient spell from the Judargal Era. By using it, the person casting the spell can transfer their knowledge to the chosen individual. When you performed surgery on Phila, what did you feel?" He asked.
"...Alert." Lysithea muttered, "Like I have been doing surgery my whole life. I knew her blood pressure. I knew how much blood was lost. I knew where her organs and veins were. I knew how to close her wounds properly and what needed to be cut. I...felt..like if I became Sophia." She shivers a bit.
"There." Tharja muttered, "It felt like you had become her. That is the purpose of the spell. To allow you to use her knowledge."
"I don't understand..." Lysithea muttered, "None of these techniques or medical methods exist in Archanea. I knew she was a doctor but...I never knew she did..this." she looked back to the room.
The color was returning to Phila as two Feroxi mages were using a bit of white magic on her to help her recovery.
"If...we ever do meet her, I like to thank her. But Lysithea, I also thank you once more for saving Phila's life." Chrom smiled softly and the girl nodded.
The group dispersed while Chrom and Robin entered the room to check on the general. Meanwhile, Derrick and Tharja were about to head back to their rooms when Lysithea suddenly stopped in front of them.
"I want to know what happened to Sophia in Plegia." The girl said coldly while Derrick's lips became a thin line, "Tharja I can see switching sides because we both hate Aversa but you..." she narrowed her eyes at Derrick, "Manaketes avoid living in Plegia like the plague because the Grimleal has hunted them down for years. Nowi was saved from being sold as a slave. But you...your armor is of high quality. Those that nobles wear..." she muttered.
"Look..." Derrick bit his lip, "I'm...not the one who should be telling you about Sophia. That's her job. Not mine. But for me...I was taken in by a Plegain General and raised. The Grimleal that kidnapped me are dead. I'm not from Plegia. Please...just drop the subject." He muttered as he was trying to stop painful memories from resurfacing.
"Alright." Lysithea huffed, "But I still expect an answer soon."
"Oh, I get it!" Derrick clapped his hands together while the two women looked at him confused, "You're the girl that Sophia spoke about that loves devouring cake!"
Lysithea's face turned crimson as Tharja covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing.
"Anyhow, how's... the prince dealing with...you know...the loss of the knight and sister?" He asked and Lysithea sighs.
"First three days. Nightmares. Robin has been staying with him in his room for comfort. Phila is recovering but as of right now...spirits are low. Especially after..." Lysithea trembled at the thought of the Deadlord.
"The fact that even the Plegia army was forced to retreat..." the group turned to see Ricken along with Nowi walk up to them, "You all felt it? The earth's vein is active. I managed to catch a glimpse but there was a woman who activated the earth vein and made the Deadlord retreat. One of our spies managed to get some information." Ricken said.
"What came in?" Derrick said.
"The entire capital is covered in plants. People are returning, you know, cleaning up and such. But...the mysterious woman that made the Deadlord retreat and destroyed the Risen, they are calling her, the savior of Plegia." Ricken muttered as they walked through the hallways and to the meeting room.
Arriving, they saw a couple of Shepards already there along with the Khans. They were now just waiting for Chrom and Robin.
"Say~," Nowi said cheerfully as she turned to her fellow manakete, "What type of dragon are you? You breathe fire but you look like a water dragon. Not only that...How come you look like a young man?! It's not fair! I'm older than you!" She pouts.
"Ha!" He snorts, "That's where you are wrong. I'm 100 years older than you! As for me looking like an adult, I have human blood in veins." he smirked.
"Grrrr! No fair, that's cheating!" Nowi puffs her cheeks angrily at him.
"Well." He pats her head with a smug smirk, "That's life for you, Spitfire."
"Don't head pat me!" Nowi swung her arms at him but he just yawned as his right hand was on her head and kept her at arm's length.
She still kept swinging her arms at him. There were chuckles and giggles but most of all, at least some joy. The door to the war room opened and in came Chrom and Robin, who gave nods.
"Gaius." Chrom spoke and the thief stood up straight, "Mind introducing as to the double agent?"
"No problem, Blue." Gauis smirked and looked over to Derrick, "Everyone, not sure if you've met him yet but this is Derrick. The double agent has been helping us get information. He also happened to be the retainer of The Hierophant of Grimleal. A.k.a, Sophia." He finished.
Derrick nodded and turned to Chrom.
"We were ordered by Sophia to join you. Even if she was forced to join Grimleal, she started planning ways to help you all in this war. She had a score to settle with Grimleal." He said and Robin narrowed her eyes.
"She was planning a regicide," Robin muttered and Derrick chuckled a bit nervously.
"Uhh...Not that extreme." He smiled a bit nervously, "During our time together they made her do many things." He can already tell everyone was going to ask what kind.
"The first one." Tharja spoke, "Is the people. Spirits needed to be lifted and such as well as lands healed. Villages and lands all around were starving. Lands hit by famine and droughts. Many dying of diseases. So, her first job was to make medicine. It was distributed to the civilians. I'm sure your spies reported seeing civilians as well as soldiers looking well." She muttered a bit coldly.
"They did," Sthal spoke.
It feels so odd that Frederick was not the one speaking. In times like this, he would be the one next to Chrom. Also, it was thanks to Sumia socking the prince in the face to make him snap out of it. Everyone here has pledged that they will fight. Not only to stop Gangrel but for peace. Chrom will follow in his sister's footsteps.
"I know...this a sensitive topic but..." Chrom spoke a bit hesitant, "Was...my sister treated terribly?" He asked.
"Lady Emmeryn..." Derrick sighs as he runs his finger through his hair, "Well...I will be honest. Both Lady Emmeryn and Sophia were war prisoners. I know this may sound strange but Sophia took advantage of the power she was given to make sure no harm befell your sister my Lord. They..." he chuckled a bit sadly, "They became friends."
"Friends?" Lissa muttered.
"Yeah." He chuckled but, "It was funny seeing them argue sometimes. Sophia would say that she wished she was kind like Lady Emmeryn. Lady Emmyren would say she wished she was strong like Sophia. Then Sophia would say that she is strong. And Lady Emmyren would say that Sophia is kind. Back and forth they would go. Talking about politics and such. That fact it never became a screaming match is what made us happy. Goodness, and I thought the screaming matches in Ylisse were bad. If you were in the courts of Plegia, that is ten times worse. Like...uh..." he turned to Tharja.
"Why are you looking at me? You're the one that has been in the courts more than me. I was just a mage in the army." Tharja glared at him.
"I thought Henry would tell you about the assassination attempts, poisons, and such that would happen!" He argued back.
"Ha!" Tharja laughed, "Please if anything he most likely told Morgan!"
"..."
"..."
"Oh no." Both went pale at that.
"Oh no, what?" Felix glared.
"Oh, nothing...Just that Sophia's apprentice may set the Grimleal on fire when given the opportunity." Derrick says, cooly.
Tharja just facepalms as she began whispering a string of curses under her breath. Everyone could have sworn Libra went pale hearing them because he was the closest to her.
"Well...we..welcome it?" Robin chuckled a bit nervously.
Well! Today's meeting is going to take awhile.
- Destroyed Fort in Plegia -
The sickening sight of mutilated corpses littered throughout the building. Metal footsteps were heard as their owner walked slowly through the place. Their crimson glowing eyes narrowed as he saw the bones that once were covered in human flesh, bloody. A small bit of flesh remained, indicating that it was ripped off, like a piece of meat. They continued to walk, each time he saw the same sight. Bloody bones were cleaned of their flesh. They walked up the stone stairs, seeing blood drip down them. The sight was the same for each floor. Finally, they reached the open roof, where an individual could be seen on their knees, hunched over as they let ou growls and snarls.
" G̴a̸s̵p̵.̶.̷.̴G̵a̷s̴p̶.̴.̴.̸G̶u̷l̴p̸.̷.̸." they only stared at the sight of the unknown dead lord chewing and swallowing flesh off a human arm.
Human organs were just splattered over the place. The dead lord was covered in blood. Its legs, its hands, blood dripped from their mouth. They kept eating.
" A̸h̶h̶.̶.̶.̵G̶u̴l̷p̴.̴.̴.̴s̸l̶u̵r̷p̴.̸.̸.̴" it was a horrendous sight.
The unknown Deadlord licked its bloody fingers as its wings ripped human flesh off the bones. Its companion watched in silence as it ate its fill. The dead lord let go of a small blissful sigh as it looked towards him. Its eyes narrowed as she put down the human heart it was eating.
"What?" Its companion muttered and it glared.
It had removed its veil. The small part of its memories of humans, it makes her hate getting her clothes dirty. The dead lord before it began the massacre, had removed its clothing and armor. If it were human, she could be identified as being naked.
" U̶r̸g̸h̶.̸.̵.̷H̶r̶g̸h̵.̶.̸.̶.̷" the Deadlord tried to speak but only let out a beastly growl.
It cocked its head like a confused child as it stood up from the pile of bones of humans it ate.
" H̵r̷g̴h̷.̴.̵.̸U̴g̴h̸.̶.̴.̴T̴-̷T̸.̴.̴." the female struggled to form words as she floated gently to her companion.
"Enough." The Deadlord knight growled, "Continue eating."
" G̴g̵r̵r̵r̴r̴r̷r̶r̷!̵" The female snarled at him, " H̴h̶r̶r̴g̸h̷h̶h̵.̶.̸.̷N̴g̸g̶h̴.̴.̴.̵.̸"
"No." The night glared, "Just eat."
" G̶r̶r̶r̷.̵.̴.̸.̶R̵a̴a̸a̷h̴h̸h̶!̵" She lunged at him but he quickly grabbed her wrist.
"You are their ruler! The Risen obey you! Stop acting like a child!" The knight growled.
" N̵g̷h̶h̶.̷.̷.̷H̸r̵g̶h̶h̷h̶!̴" The Deadlord let out another beastly whine.
He let go of her wrist and sighs.
"Just eat. More bodies we will find. Did the mages not satisfy you?" He glared.
" N̵g̶h̸h̸h̸h̵.̴.̴.̴.̶G̵r̸r̶h̴h̷.̶.̶.̷.̸A̷h̸h̶h̸h̶.̵.̴.̸" it growled and whined as it went back to its pile of bones to drink the leftover blood.
The knight removed his helmet and saw her purr as she floated back to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck.
" A̷h̵h̵h̴.̸.̷.̴A̶h̵.̵.̵.̸H̶r̶g̵h̴h̶.̶.̴.̵ '' She tried to speak again.
To someone else, it sounded like a bestial growl, but to the knight, they can understand what they are saying. They frowned but now was not the time to enjoy carnal desires. The female dead lord cooed happily as she caressed his cheek. Blood smudged on him but he did not care.
"Lord Grima requires us." The knight muttered and instantly her face of bliss turned to one of fury.
She pushed him away and snarled.
" R̶h̷h̸h̸h̸a̷a̸.̷.̴.̶R̶h̸a̶.̶.̸.̴.̴R̴-̵R̶e̷f̵u̶s̷e̵.̵.̶.̸.̸.̵t̷o̸.̵.̵.̷" the knight's eyes widened hearing her speak, "Refuse!" The Deadlord roared.
"You know very well you can not disobey him." The dead lord knight said coldly and she scoffed as she floated back to the corpse and picked up the human heart.
It began to eat it, this time slowly, however...
"Mama!"
" A̷A̵A̸A̵A̵A̸A̷A̴U̴U̸G̷G̶G̸H̵H̵H̷H̷!̵!̴!̸" She suddenly roared as a flash of a fragment of her memories played before her eyes and threw the heart away.
She gripped her head tightly and began thrashing around, black blood tears fell from her eyes as she screamed. The voice of a child kept repeating in her mind. The knight quickly ran to her and she quickly jumped back. Her right hand over her right eye.
" G̴a̵s̴p̵.̶.̶.̸.̴H̸r̶g̸h̸.̴.̸.̸.̴G̶h̴h̷a̴g̴g̶h̸h̷a̴a̵!̸" It screamed as it began clawing its face, "I...I...HUUMMAAANNN!" It threw its head back the knight quickly took the opportunity to stab his hand through her chest.
"Ulp...." the dead lord wept as it looked up to him with humanity in its eyes, "You...You...King..." and out he ripped his hand, causing the female dead lord to pass out. He picked up in his arms and began walking, the Risen around the area, bowed to the two.
"̴Q̷u̷e̴e̷n̶.̷.̵.̸"̴
̵"̸L̸o̸r̸d̶ ̶G̸r̵i̴m̵a̷'̸s̵.̵.̵.̴.̸Q̴u̸e̵e̵n̶.̷.̷.̶"̵
̷
The Risen whispered could be barely heard but the dead lord knight did not care. All he did was glance down at her. For she is the one that commands the Risen to her call. For she is the one that can make the corpse rise and serve her.
For she is T̸h̴e̶ ̴R̶i̴s̸e̴n̵ ̶Q̸u̷e̴e̸n̴.
- Plegia Capital -
"Heave ho! Heave Ho!"
The Plegia Capital was lively as civilians were able to return. Many were beyond shocked to see not just the Capital but the land around it flourishing with life. Some mages were helping remove rubble using their magic. Many people were still injured and the whole week has just been nothing but recovery and such. Sophia let go of a sigh as she finished helping an elderly man with his injury. Making sure he was alright. Her entire body was wrapped in bandages and her shoulder was recovering. She still had a bit of trouble moving it. The downside of Federick's attack on her is that she can no longer feel any pain in her right arm. Just like on her right leg. Gangrel, Grimleal, and the rest of the army are headed to the west, the borders where Plegia and Ferox meet. The Border Waste, about a week away from the Capital. That is where the war will take place. But, some good things did come out of this.
"Ah! Sophia dear!" A young woman came into the clinic, "Does the field still have lilies growing? I want to take some to pay my respects to the Exalt."
Sophia nodded and said that the field behind the weapon shop had many flowers growing. The lady thanked her and left. Sophia smiled softly as she closed the door to her makeshift clinic. It was the old abandoned building when she returned. As the days went by, Emmeryn's words resonated throughout the heart of the people. Many soldiers have chosen to desert the army and chose to help rebuild their home. The desire for peace was what many wanted. People were doing everything they could to rebuild the city. At the place where Emmeryn fell, citizens placed candles and flowers to pay their respects.
The door to her clinic opened and she turned. Her eyes went wide as she quickly covered her mouth, tears falling as she looked at the man at her door. Henry and Morgan were grinning as Mustafa gave her one of his rare smiles. His chest was wrapped in bandages and behind him, were a good amount of his soldiers.
"Mustafa!" Sophia yelled and ran to him, hugging him tightly, "You're alive!" She cried and the man laughed as his soldiers said they were going to go help the civilians, to which their general nodded.
"We're going to go help the people bury the dead. Making sure they don't rise tonight! Nyhahaha!" Henry laughed as he walked away while the others just shook their heads.
Morgan went to go help bury those that have passed away. Many lives were lost and they have been buried respectfully to one of the giant open fields behind the capital. Mustafa came in and Sophia had him sit down. His badges needed to change and the two talked.
"I'm glad you are alive. But...how?" She asked since she knew that the man was supposed to be dead along with his men.
"Sigh..." the general sighs, "I don't know if I should call it a blessing or a curse. I remember we were on the battlefield. I offered The Ylissens to surrender and live. That I would do everything in my power to protect them." He muttered as Sophia sat down across from after she finished putting on the new bandages.
"Your rage is justified, Prince Chrom. But the meaning of your sister's final sacrifice was not lost on me. I suspect many Plegians who heard her final words would say the same. If you lay down your weapons, I vow to protect you as best I can."
"The rage of the prince he and his people showed. It is justified. If I had surrendered, Gangrel would have made an example of my family. The words Emmeryn said resonated with many. I gave them the option to leave, but they chose to stay and fight. Both sides clashed. Gods, it felt like time went quickly. Soon it was me against the prince." Mustafa sigh, "His rage, I felt it when his sword clashed with my ax. I still remember the burning rage when his sword slashed me. But the finishing blow never came..." his eyes darkened a bit.
"Mustafa...what happened out there?" Sophia asked nervously.
The man looked her in the eye and spoke.
"It was as if the dead chose to rise at that very moment. A Deadlord suddenly appeared and lunged at the prince. Many more Risen also. I have never seen anything like it. One minute, two leaders of different armies were fighting to kill each other, the next, a mutual truce to fight the dead lord of gold and blue. All of us barely made it out alive. If Henry and Morgan hadn't found my men and me in the desert, we would be dead right now." He said as a bead of sweat ran down Sophia's cheek.
"Another one of the kin..." Brynhildr suddenly spoke in her mind, making the woman screeched.
"Are you alright?!" Mustafa looked at her worried as she nodded, gulping.
"Y-Yes. I just...had a flashback from the battle." Sophia gave him a crooked smile.
Brynhildr had not talked to her at all during the week and suddenly scared the hell out of Sophia.
Sophia took deep breaths as she tried to calm down her pounding heart and then turned back to him.
"I'm just...glad you are alive. First the unknown dead lord and now another one?" Just let out a groan as she ran her finger through her hair, licking her lips a bit, "I know this is sudden but...what did it look like?" She asked.
"Gold, royal blue and titanium white armor, like that of a noble. A knight helmet with wings of a dragon on the head. A crown of spikes that pointed upward. A sword..." Mustafa went silent for a bit but continued, "A sword with a grip made of bones, it looked like a spine. The crimson glowing gem with a strange symbol on it."
"I never heard of such a Deadlord...it most certainly doesn't fit any of the descriptions of the Deadlords I have seen in the game...two unknown Deadlords.." Sophia held her chin as though, "I know for a fact the civilians have been calling that fortunate teller looking one The Risen Queen because of how it roared and the Risen obeyed her command. What the hell is going on...?" Sophia bit her lips and spoke.
"Thank you, Mustafa." Sophia gave him a small smile, "But...what will you do now? You can't fight because you are injured. And many have chosen to not fight."
"That answer is simple my friend." He smiled, "I may be a warrior but I will be returning to my family. I should have spoken up to the king. That was my role as a general of his. To speak and tell him that his actions have gone astray. But I worried a lot about my family. I feared for them. But now...the most I could now is to atone for my sins by helping my people heal the land." He looked out the window as he saw a father carrying his daughter on his back.
The mother and father, along with their child. A sad smile on his lips as she turned to her.
"One day, I do hope you will be able to find someone who will love you no matter what. And Sophia," she looked at him confused a bit, "You and Henry are always welcomed to our home. After all, he is like a son to me, as you are like a daughter." He smiled.
Sophia's eyes went wide and she nodded, holding back tears. Indeed, even if this war made her cry and break many times, she has created new bonds and friendships. She may have been brought to this world against her will, but now...it was her home.
"Thank you."
- Night -
Sophia had returned to the garden for various reasons. As she entered, even if the roof caved in the ballroom, some of the rooms they were still able to live in. For once, she could enjoy the place without worrying about Aversa or the Grimleal. She for sure plans to take every damn book in the library with her. She walked down the hallway and stopped in front of her room. She took a deep breath and walked in, letting go of a sigh of relief seeing the knight on her bed still.
"Wait, I didn't cover him with a blanket." Sophia thought as she walked towards her bed.
The day she found Frederick under the rubble she thought he was dead. And then Henry said he was alive made her let go a sigh of relief. The wounds he suffered should have killed him. That fact he survived was a miracle. Even if she was injured and tried, she injected herself with painkillers to be able to operate to save his life. Removing all his armor was a pain. Gods, she remembers the agonizing hours she spent closing his wounds, using magic to fix the broken bones and blood vessels. The amount of blood he lost, thankfully Morgan was compatible and the boy donated his blood. Her future self did teach Morgan about human blood types. Unfortunately for the knight, his left eye could not be saved. The building collapsed around him, a sharp shard of a brick got stabbed into his eye. Sophia had to operate to remove the brick shard as well as remove the eye. Cleaned and stitched up. She was terrified because the first night is essential. He was still in critical condition even if the operations were a success. The fact he survived the night made the woman break down into tears of joy.
For now, Emmeryn is hidden away somewhere safe. Sophia had to operate on the woman's head to save her. Emmeryn will have permanent brain damage because of the fall. Thankfully because of her skills, Sophia was able to lessen the damage. Emmeryn should be able to speak but she will have a bit of trouble speaking sentences. The necklace Phila and Emmeryn were given, stored some of her magic. And if the two were to get critically injured, the gem on it would crack and release the magic. And it did. It saved both of their lives. It stopped the bleeding temporarily and kept their injuries from becoming critical. As for Frederick, he hasn't woken up since he survived the first night. Sophia was just glad he didn't enter a coma. The man was healing and every day she would change his bandages and use magic to gently heal the wounds. As well as feed and clean him.
Sophia carefully removed the blanket and suddenly dropped it as shock filled her face seeing that the knight was gone.
"Where is he?! Gods, I need to get Morgan and H-!" She froze as she felt the blade of a dagger on her neck.
"Don't move." Oh, gods...
Cold. The deep male voice was cold as her eyes slowly looked to the mirror not too far from her bed. Frederick's left side of his face was wrapped with bandages, as well as his chest. Yes, he was shirtless. He was wearing pants because originally he was just in his underwear. Sophia gulped as she spoke a bit calmly.
"I'm not an enemy." She carefully raised her hand in surrender, "I swear..."
"As if I believe the words of a Plegain General. You're the woman that was covered in blood, aren't you?" Frederick spoke coldly as the dagger was pressed a bit harder.
"...You think I would care about my looks during a fucken war?" Sophia narrowed her eyes, " You were in the same boat as I was! You looked like you were in a murder spree on that horse of yours!" She argued back.
" I was not o—-!" That was the opening she needed.
Quickly she warped out of his arms and lunged at him. Frederick tried to defend him but hissed when his right leg suddenly gave out. Sophia took the opportunity to pin him down, straddling him. She made sure the grip of her thighs was tight to keep him from trying to flip them over. Her arms caged him, even though he is bigger than her. She panted, the dagger now far away from both.
"I'm not your enemy!" Sophia snarled, "I dug you from under a building and the first thing you do is try to kill me?!"
"You are a Plegain general. Are going to keep prisoner?" Frederick said coldly.
"And what benefit will that do?" She said coldly and took off her shirt.
Immediately Frederick turned crimson and tried to avert his eyes but Sophia was having none of it.
"I'm in the same boat as you!" Sophia motioned to her upper body, she was completely wrapped in bandages.
"Alright, I understand!" Frederick yelled a bit angry as she put back on her shirt.
"I don't think you understand." Sophia narrowed her eyes as she looked down at Frederick with cold ones, "Either you be a good knight and allow me properly heal you or..." the grip of her thighs around his waist became tighter, "Die of blood loss."
"You are the enemy. Why would you heal me? Are you trying to make me owe you a favor? I will do no such thing for someone of Grimleal." Frederick narrowed his eyes back at her.
The position they were in really wasn't helping either. If someone walked in, they would seriously get the wrong idea. Not that Sophia cared, she's only trying to prevent the stubborn man from reopening his wounds.
"20 hours." She states as she leaned in a bit closer, pointing to his left eye, "20 hours it took to properly close and seal your wounds. You nearly got turned to a puddle of bloody slime by the explosion the Deadlord caused. I could have left you crushed under the brick rubble but I didn't." She leaned away.
"What do you want?" He growled, "I refuse to be indebted to the person who helped in the execution of Exalt."
Sophia glare only became colder but she kept her mouth shut about her being responsible.
"I owe a debt to the Exalt. I'm only repaying it by making sure you return to your prince." She hissed back.
"Is that so..." He muttered as she just rolled her eyes.
"Look." Sophia sighs "I'm already taking a risk hiding you here in The Garden. I made sure two of my friends joined your army before things went down. This is the least I can do to repay Emmeryn...Do not." She points to him, "Make me regret my choice."
"I do not understand." Frederick muttered and she shook her head, "Who are you?"
"There, was that so hard?" She smiled and unfortunately, neither of them noticed that Henry had come in and then slowly walked back to go outside the room.
He closed the door and turned to Morgan who was confused.
"What's wrong?" Morgan said as he had a tray of medicine, "Teacher usually changes Frederick's bandages this hour."
"Say!" He quickly spun the boy around, "Let's go back to the plaza! I heard that since it technically is the new year, they will be giving out egg-cellent egg-nog!"
"But I thought I can't drink?! I'm not 15 yet! And what about Uncle Frederick?" Morgan looked back at him.
"Morgan." Henry took a deep breath and smiled, "Your uncle is VERY warm and taken WELL care of right now! So don't worry!"
"What do you mean? Did Teacher use the heal spell on him to make sure he didn't get cold?" Morgan asked innocently.
"Yes! The knight is VERY WARM! NYHAHAHA!" Henry laughed and led the boy away.
"You owe me 3 gold coins for this Sophia!" Henry thought as his eyebrow twitched.
So back to the others. Sophia held up her index finger and spoke.
"I will answer whatever questions you have on three conditions." Sophia glared, "One: You will not try to kill me in my sleep. Two, you will rest properly so you can heal. Three: You will listen to the instructions I tell you. This is for your own good." She said.
"I can not trust you. Especially since we are in such positions." He referred to being on top of him.
"Hey, you're at fault." She glared.
"How exactly is this my fault?" He glared back and was waiting for the opportunity that she loosens her grip.
"You tried to kill me! I just came here to change your bandages! I'm a doctor! Not a damn Assassin!" She glared at him furiously.
"...Very well, I will follow the first two. But I refused to do your bidding for the third one." He said and Sophia shook her head again.
"No. The reason I said the third one is because just with this interaction, I learned that you are a stubborn mule," he looked very offended by that, "Even after you heal, you need to learn to adapt to now only having one eye. Especially because of your field of vision. Also, your right arm and left leg were broken during the explosion. Again, physical therapy will be needed for you to be able to move properly. Do you want your leg or arm to suddenly give out in the middle of a battle?" She smiled warmly.
Frederick's eyebrow twitched. He had nothing to say about that because she was speaking the truth. If his arm or leg suddenly stopped functioning in the middle of the battlefield, it would cost him his life.
"You win." He growled, "I will follow the third condition."
Sophia nodded and carefully got off him. The man could not help but let go of a sigh of relief because the feeling of her thighs around his waist was not helping at all. Carefully, she stood up and offered her hand to him. The man just stared at it for a moment but did not take it. He made himself stand up but unfortunately, his leg had other ideas. Again, he felt it give out and when he was about to fall, Sophia quickly put his arm around his shoulder to support him.
"Nnghhh! Heavy!" Sophia grunted as she tried to support the man's weight on her.
Frederick just stared at her for a moment and let go of a sigh. As much as he wanted to leave and return to his Lord, he was in no condition. Careful, he removed some of his weight to allow the woman to carefully lead him back to the bed. He got on and he was surprised to see her fix the pillows to make sure he was comfortable.
"You forcing yourself up caused a few of your wounds to nearly reopen." Sophia let go of a sigh as she began to heal on him.
Her hands glowed a light green and he could feel the pain gain away. Again, the man was surprised because the only person he has seen use magic without a tome or staff is Felix. Once done, she turned around to a table next to the bed. Frederick looked around the room and saw it was a bit of a disaster. Most likely due to the battle that took p-!
"What day is it?" He suddenly blurted out.
"January 7th. You've been asleep for a week." Sophia answered normally as she was looking through the bottles of pills to find the painkillers, antibiotics, and vitamins.
"What?" Frederick paled as she turned back to him with a glass of water and medicines in her hands.
"Do you remember what happened?" She asked as she sat down on the chair next to the bed.
"I remember..." his throat felt dry, "I was on the verge of running to my lord...then the...Dear Lord.."
"Sent a magic blast and destroyed the buildings around you. Causing them to crumble on top of you." She finished his sentence as she opened her hand with a red and blue pill in it.
"What is this?" Frederick asked.
"Medicine," Sophia answered bluntly.
"You expect me to believe a red and blue color pebble is medicine?" He glared.
"It's what I've been giving you while you were asleep!" Sophia snarled back, "I have been cleaning and changing your bandages. Using magic to feed you and also give you medicine," she thrust her hand in his face, "AND if I wasn't on alert 24/7 you would be a paralyzed man right now! Do not question my years of experience!" Sophia growled.
"..." Frederick took a deep breath and took the pills from her hand, and forced himself to swallow them.
He coughed and took the glass of water and nearly spit it out if he didn't recognize the taste of bitter medical herbs mixed in.
"Ugh!" He gagged and handed her the cup, and she then just handed him a regular glass of water, which he drank.
The pain in his body suddenly went away and he did not feel so heavy anymore.
"You can handle bitter herbs." Sophia says bluntly as she was handed the cup and put it on the table, "You'll be taking the medicine every day."
"...Why did you help me? And where are my lord and my comrades?" Frederick asked as she let go of a sigh.
"Right now... every one of the Ylisse and Ferox army believes you are dead." She gave a pregnant pause for a moment then continued, "As for saving you...It's the least I could do...after everything you and your friends have done for Lysithea."
"...You're Sophia." His eyes slowly widened in realization as he could now see her properly.
"...By the way," she picked up a watch and held it up, "Thanks for giving me back my watch. I thought I lost it forever. Found it in your belongings. "
"...You are the mage that I met in Ferox but also healed me...aren't you?" He narrowed his eyes.
She looked so different from the projection he saw two weeks ago. She had mint colored hair and brown colored eyes, not indigo-colored hair and crimson emerald eyes.
"You're staring," Sophia muttered as she was mixing some herbs and powders to make a cream.
"Answer my question." He said coldly and she rolled her eyes.
"Yes. I am." She muttered, "You also know me as The Shadow Exalt."
Frederick gritted his teeth. This woman...was the False Prophet.
"...Just say it." Sophia sighs as she continues to mix the herbs, "That I am a false leader..."
"You are..." Frederick spoke in a harsh tone, "Do you know what your actions have caused during this war...?" The response he got was silence, "Difficulty. The mages of Grimleal were never experts in the healing arts. They have been able to recover much faster as well as cause much more damage." Silence once more.
"Not only that, Lysithea kept blaming herself for your actions. Did you even think about the grief you caused her when you warped her to Ylisse?" Again, her only response was silence, "The Shadow Exalt...An insult to Lady Emmyren's name! Exalt is a symbol of peace. You were nothing but a symbol of propaganda and destruction! They used you as a form to serve Grima!" He yelled furiously.
"I ALREADY KNOW THAT!" Sophia slammed her hands on the table, causing a jar of water slip.
"I ALREADY KNEW WHAT MY ACTIONS CAUSED! I ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE GRIEF I CAUSED LYSITHEA! BUT YOU THINK I DID IT ON PURPOSE?!" Sophia roared and turned to him.
"NO!" His eye went wide, as he saw the tears that were streaming down her face, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I WANTED TO JUST RUN AWAY! HOW MUCH I WISHED I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS DEAD INSTEAD OF EMMERYN! HOW MUCH I WISH I WASN'T DRAGGED INTO THIS BLOODY WAR! I...I...ALL I WANTED WAS TO LIVE A PEACEFUL LIFE! I DIDN'T COME TO ARCHANEA BY CHOICE! I WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM MY HOME! THE ONLY THING KEEPING ME SANE WAS MY PROFESSION AS A DOCTOR!" She roared.
She ripped the bandages on her hands, showing him the scars she now permanently has because of the ritual.
"Do you have any idea what it's like to be tortured?!" She snarled at him, "What's it like to find out that the real reason you were being used to heal the land, for propaganda, a position of power, and forced into isolation? TO BE A HUMAN SACRIFICE TO SUMMON A DEAD LORD AND FORCED TO WATCH PEOPLE BE SACRIFICED IN FRONT OF YOU?! YOU THINK I WANTED THIS POSITION OF POWER?!" She slammed her hand over her heart.
"I NEVER WANTED POWER! I NEVER WANTED TO BE CALLED THE SAINT OF ARCHANEA OR THE SHADOW EXALT! I NEVER WANTED POWER! BUT to SURVIVE I HAD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT TO PREVENT INNOCENT CIVILIANS FROM DYING! AND THIS GOES TO ALL SIDES! YLISSE, FEROX, PLEGIA! I AM SICK OF THIS WAR!" She brought her hands down and sobbed.
"All these emotions...I swore to myself I would never express my emotions again after what happened to me in my old home...Look at me now...Joy...sorrow..anger..hate...I never thought I would feel these emotions again...I don't know how to handle this...I don't know...I never thought I would feel like a human again...I..." Sophia just turns away and storms out of the room, slamming the door shut.
"Prick," Brynhildr said as Sophia stormed to the open roof of the castle, and began destroying all the jars and vases there.
Thankfully they were only filled with water but she didn't care. Jar after jar, vase after vase. She just destroyed it all. How many years had it gone into such a catastrophic state? This bubbling rage she kept buried deep inside her finally unleashed itself. Sophia didn't want to unleash this rage on the knight. That's why she stormed out before she was the one that hurt him.
Anger and hate.
Joy and sorrow.
Love and kindness.
Every single human emotion she swore to herself that she would never feel again, all of them were brought back. She began to feel them again when she was brought to this world. Part of her was grateful that she could feel these emotions again but there was a sort of her that also detested it. She didn't know how to handle her emotions. It was just too much. The Pandora's box she swore to never open again, the seal broke. Sophia panted and gasped for air as her fingers and hand were bloody once more. She doesn't know how to handle it. She dropped to her knees, gasping and panting for air. She began sobbing uncontrollably. She knew what the consequences of her actions would be. She knew the grief that Lysithea would go through after being warped to Ylisse against her will. She knew that there was a high chance that Plegai would have over the Ylisse army when she taught(forced) the mages healing arts. The war only made things worse as all her stress, anxiety, and emotions just crashed down on her.
Gods, she just wanted to run. She wanted to run away and forget it all. But that would make her a coward. Emmeryn's words resonated in her heart. Yet, there was a part of Sophia that felt she let her friend down. Despite what she did, Emmeryn still fell. The pain and agony that all felt were universal. Frederick only added salt to the wound when he spoke out loud about the consequences of her actions. She already knew. Sophia already knew and she accepted it. Sophia is no savior. Sophia is no prophet. Sophia is no Saint. She wanted none of that. All she wants now...is for the bloody war, to be over.
Brynhildr manifests herself as and stands behind her. Her eyes gave the woman a look of empathy. For some reason, she feels she could connect with the girl at this moment. However..,.
"Brugh!" The dreadlord's eyes suddenly went wide when the woman suddenly vomited blood.
Sophia looked at her hand, covered in the blood she just vomited, and slowly looked up to Brynhildr. Her veins glowed silver as the world around her began to spin. Screaming. She can hear. Someone calling her name. She began to fall. Everything a Blur. She just..wants..to...
Sleep...
[-]
"You went too far!"
Frederick...didn't know what to say. That that there was a fae in front of him, glaring and yelling, made things far more bizarre. Unfortunately, he could not understand what they were saying to him.
"You bloody prick! Insensitive competent fool!" Ariel glared furiously as the other three just watched, eating the fruits.
Because Mustafa's family along with the man are now safe, Windy and Sidi were allowed to return to Sofia, which they gladly did. But they will miss the sweet cute boy who they would tell tales and stories of their kin. As a precaution, they blessed the boy with the blessing of the winds. Right now, they were waiting for Ariel to tear the mule knight. Sadly the boy Morgan was not here to translate for them. Claude gave a warning hiss to Ylisse knight, who was very wary. He took a deep breath and spoke. He had to very careful with the fae. He has heard stories from unfortunate souls who angered them and were cursed. That they met terrible fates.
"Forgive me my Lady but I do not understand what you are saying. I apologize if I have upset you. I mean no harm to you and your companions." He said carefully and waited for some sort of reaction.
"Oh my, you are a polite one." Sidi giggled as she put her wing over mouth, "The stories of the knights are true. Gentleman when the time comes, yet ferocious in needs." She floated over to him, Unfortunately, the one you should be apologizing to is not us. But Sophia.``
"Naga, have you cursed me?" Frederick thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
It's been about two hours since Sophia stormed furiously out of the room and she hasn't returned at all. The knight couldn't get out of his mind how broken she just looked. The haunting image of the orange crimson-haired woman from the watch came back to his mind. The voice wailed when she screamed why her family was taken from her.
He looked at his bandages and gently placed his left hand over the bandages of his left eye. It was gone. He then looked to his right arm and then left leg. Even though he could not see his wounds, he could feel it. The bandages wrapped around his body were all done properly. He could feel she had also applied some healing ointments underneath the bandages to prevent infections on his wounds. He had many questions. He was in no state to be even moving. But the initial shock of waking up in a room that looked like it belongs to a noble and the Grimleal symbol on the tile floor only made him alert. The first thing he felt was a pain. His body wrapped in bandages as he struggled to concentrate. Of course, the first instinct he did was to survive. He let go of a sigh. He shouldn't have done that, however, he spoke the truth. Yet...
"She just let me berate her..." Frederick let go of a sigh as he forced himself to lay back.
He worried about how his friends were. He knows Chrom and Lissa were most likely grieving the loss of their sister and to add salt to the wound, they witnessed him "die" on the battlefield. But he believes in them. That the prince will be able to move forward and put an end to this war once and for all.
"Eeekk!" The fae screeched as they quickly flew under the bed as a shadow formed in the center of the room.
Frederick was in no condition to fight and all he could do was grab the dagger that was on the table. The shadow formed into the shape of a woman, her appearance could not be seen at all because of the black and silver fog that surrounded her. heterochromic eyes only stared back as he noticed it was carrying...
"Sophia!" The fae screamed and quickly zoomed over to the dead lord even if he hated the sick feeling of darkness.
Brynhildr was silent as the fae noticed just how pale and the veins all over Sophia's body glowed. The woman was shaking, shivering as the dead lord walked to the bed that was next to the giant one and gently placed her down. Frederick could now see and panic began to fill him when he saw just ghostly she looked. The Deadlord was silent as she summoned her staff and gently had it over the woman. The crystal glowed like a white light emitted from it. The veins on Sophia began to fade a bit but she was still pale. The fae circled the woman and raised their hands. Plants began to sprout and surround the woman. A few woolly bugs appeared and they settled on her. Nuzzling her cheek.
"That earth... " Brynhildr whispered, "Will heal her. As for you..." she looked over to Frederick "If I had not taken a liking to this girl, I would have put your head on a pike." She growled.
"I warn you, knight...Make even one move against her and the mage of white hair will not hesitate to kill you. Nor either of us." The fae suddenly had terrifying grins on their faces.
This is what a fae truly is. Anger them and the curse will set. Frederick had a bead of sweat rundown on his cheek till they heard the door open. The dead lord instantly disappeared and the fae settled around Sophia. A young boy with dark blue hair walked in with a tray of food for two people. But nearly dropped it in horror when he saw the state the woman was. Quickly, the boy put the food and the table and ran, placing two fingers on her neck.
"Oh thank Naga she still has a pulse!" The boy let go of a sigh of relief.
He looked up to him and gave him a strained smile.
"I am glad you are awake now Sir Frederick. But...please try to rest. You have two weeks till Plegia and Ylisse clash." Morgan muttered as he used light magic on Sophia.
The woman seemed to be a bit more relieved as she began to breathe normally. The veins were still visible but now she looked like she was sleeping. Morgan let go of a sigh.
"Looks like it finally caught up to her..." he muttered.
"What do you mean?" Frederick asked and Morgan's lips became a thin line.
Or felt a bit strange speaking to someone dead from his timeline. But..it also brought a sense of nostalgia.
"Teacher...was under a lot of pressure by Grimleal and Gangrel to keep the country afloat. She was...like a beacon of light to the people of Plegia." Morgan muttered as he finished using magic on her.
"The Mad King did not care about his people. Those who disobeyed him were made examples. They were publicly shamed then executed. Generals that chose to speak out to the king, their families were held hostage or killed. Village Chiefs were forced to watch their entire village burned to the ground before the people were slaughtered and then they were executed. Famine and drought ravaged the land and it didn't help that the lands the Ylisse invaded 15 years ago, never healed. Too many lives have been lost." Morgan said coldly as Frederick went silent hearing all of this.
"Ah, and the Grimleal would kidnap women and children for their sick experiments. I nearly became a slave when I helped fight off their mages to protect a village." He looked up to him.
His cold expression suddenly reminded him of the ones Lissa, Chrom, and Emmeryn would have when they were furious or upset. The boy was calm as he continued to speak.
"Fae has been captured and sold in the black market along with people...Sophia...she did what any decent human would do. Help people. She took advantage of the power she was given to force the stop of Human Hunts. To be able to bring life to the lands destroyed by war. Distribute medicine to the villages in need. She did what a ruler does. Listen and help the people." He looked up to him, "And it was the Exalt, that also helped her learn how to properly manage that power."
"So what Gauis reported was true..." Frederick muttered, "Lady Emmeryn and Sophia were held captive in the same place."
"Yeah. Lady Emmeryn was amazing. I never saw Teacher look...so...how do I say it...?" The boy pondered a bit, "If...Lady Emmeryn and Teacher weren't rulers...it looked like they were old friends." And Frederick's eye went wide, "They would talk about politics and it never turned to a screaming match. I think it was a good experience for both of them. You know, getting to learn about the other side of the coin." He chuckled.
"Anyhow," Morgan went to the table to get the tray of food and walked over to the table next to the bed, "I got instructions to help you get better should anything happen to her. And well..." booth looked over to the sleeping woman, "That happened."
"What is your name?" Frederick asked as the boy put the tray down.
"Morgan. I'm her apprentice. Teacher has been helping me improve in my magic studies." Morgan answered as he went to a different table.
"Perhaps you could help with some answers," Frederick said as the boy glanced at him.
"Sure. I don't mind." Morgan smiled as he opened a spellbook and also a journal to take notes.
"The injuries that I suffered, just how gruesome were they?" He asked and Morgan cringed at the memory.
"You were near death. We found you buried under pounds of stone. It took around 20 hours for Teacher to properly seal your wounds. However, she said even after she finished operating on you, the number one obstacle was to see if you would survive the night. You are in critical condition. We would take turns in our shifts to watch over you." Morgan explained as he was now reading.
"How long will it take for me to heal?" Frederick asked.
"Well, if we didn't apply new methods of healing magic on you, at least two months. Teacher has been changing your bandages every day and using magic to feed you and have you take your medication. This week your wounds should close up and the next one is a sort of physical therapy. You have to learn to adapt to now one eye and also train to help your arm and leg get their strength back. Meaning, you can't do your ridiculous training regiments." Morgan smirked.
Why did the smirk look like Chrom's? Frederick narrowed his eye a bit as the boy turned back to his books. The knight let go of a sigh as he looked at the food. A vegetable stew with bits of meat, a cup of apple juice, and also a cup of water. A bowl is of cooked vegetables lightly toasted and buttered.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Morgan says as he continued to write down measurements for the explosive powder Henry told him about.
"Right..." Frederick sighs and picks up his spoon and begins eating.
"Strange...the food reminds me of the beef stew in Ylisse." He thought as he continued to eat.
"Who made this food?" He asked.
"Huh?" Morgan glanced over his shoulder, "Oh! Teacher made it. I was going to bring eggnog but Teacher said not because you're healing and don't need alcohol in your body." He snickered.
"..." Frederick just stared at him for a bit.
His hair color reminded him of his lord.
"Umm...Sir Frederick? Is something on my face?" Morgan asked as he was mixing some type of black powder with a yellow one.
The table was littered with jars of different materials as well as tomes. Frederick was silent for a bit then spoke.
"I am sorry I made you feel uncomfortable. It's just...your hair color." The knight muttered and the boy just looked at him confused.
"What about my hair color?" Morgan asked as he picked another jar and opened it.
"It is the same color as my lord's, Prince Chrom," Frederick said a bit suspiciously.
The boy smiled while internally he was screaming. It was WAY too early for him to figure it out.
"Really? I never met the prince so I don't know what he looks like. Teacher says that my hair color reminds her of the ocean." Morgan played along as he was now writing down notes in his journal.
"Why are you avoiding eye contact with me?" The knight narrowed his eyes.
"Naga, I could use some help here, please!" The boy internally yelled.
The knight just dropped the topic because the boy was becoming uncomfortable. He let go of the sigh and continued to eat. The silence in the room was neutral until one of the fae began humming a tune. While he could not understand the language, it seems the boy could. Frederick noticed the boys became filled with sadness as the fae continued to sing softly. The tune he does not recognize but...
"Grand...ma.."
He turned to look at the sleeping woman with a wide eye. Despite being asleep, tears fell from her eyes as the fae smiled sadly to her and continued to sing. Right now, Frederick hoped the woman would be alright and that he can heal quickly.
- Ferox -
"We should have stayed." Alm said to Lucina as they were now in a cave two hours away from the capital, "We should have stayed." He repeated.
"Alm..." Lucina turned to the boy who was sitting on the ground, his right knee was bent up while his left leg was laid flat, yet...he looked so shocked.
Alm had removed his mask, letting his emotions finally show. The tears fell from his eyes as he looked at her, a symbol on his left eye, a bit similar to the brand of Naga but different.
"He's gone...Dad...he...I don't understand!" The boy yelled as he gritted his teeth, "He lived through the war! He lived till the days of battle against Grima! Why did he die here?! I...This isn't...this...!" Lucina quickly lunged and hugged him tightly to her chest.
He sobbed in her chest as she closed her eyes, gently humming a tune that her mother would sing.
Butterfly fly up so high
Butterfly fly to the night
Let the breeze lead you far
Spread your wings to the beyond.
Butterfly so blue
Sing as you fly
Butterfly be free
Fly beyond the sea of blue
Butterfly fly away
"[-]..." Lucina whispered, "We'll get through this. I promise..."
"...Damn it all...Just damn it all..." He sobbed, "I finally was able to meet him properly...and then...this happens..." he wept.
"Even if he still beat me in that battle...I was able to meet him..." he muttered and Lucina sighs a bit.
"We won't let his death be in vain. We will defeat the Unknown Deadlords...We will..." her voice cracked as she recalled the fear that filled her entire body.
Never before had she seen such monstrosity. Never before had she been with such fear.
They have to win. They must. For the sake of the fallen...and everyone's future.