"So, Summoner, why is it you're out here?" Leonie asked, shooting her sunflower bow into a few targets on the beach.

"Commander Anna kicked me out..." Kiran mumbled sadly, still missing their robe.

"Wh-" Leonie's aim was completely disrupted and she sent an arrow out to sea, spearing a fish. "What?! You're not our tactician anymore?!"

"N-No, I'm still the tactician!" Kiran reassured her, as Flayn could be seen bolting for the ocean with Seteth chasing behind. "I'm just not allowed to work, at the moment. Forced break."

"Oh." Leonie sighed. "That makes sense, you do look a little worse for wear. Aren't you tired?"

"Not really..." Kiran rubbed their dark circles around their golden eyes. "Not enough to give up my post, for sure."

"Hey, take it from a gal who knows." Leonie aimed an arrow and let loose, splitting a previous bullseye in half. "Work hard, play hard. You need time to yourself."

"But I'm only useful as a tactician..." Kiran sighed.

"How untrue!" A voice sang vibrantly.

"Your worth is like a brilliant wind, charming the hearts of all." Virion stepped forward elegantly. "Without you we are lost, and your beauty is exceptional, unmarred by your comple-"

"He's right." Cherche cut him off, much to his discomfort. "You're not just the Summoner, you're our friend."

"Indeed! A lovely and encouraging presence, fit for a brilliant-" Virion continued.

"Maybe you should ask people what you mean to them." Cherche yet again cut him off with a sweet smile. "I'm sure everybody would say that without a doubt, you deserve a break."

"She's right, you're in danger of overworking yourself." Leonie said, stretching out with a small grunt. "We'd rather you were healthy and letting us battle, than unhealthy and leading us."

Kiran looked down at the grass and the shade of the tree above.

"I think you're cooool..." Setsuna said, making Kiran jump in surprise. She dangled right over the Summoner, tangled in a net.

"Setsuna?! You're still up there?!" Kiran stood, trying to untie her.

"No... I got caught again... heheh..." Setsuna smiled absentmindedly, before the net suddenly released and she fell on her back, her legs hanging over her.

"Eep! Sorry...!" Kiran disarmed the trap.

"Seriously. You're like... a big friend. You're aaaalways helping us no matter what." Setsuna said, staring up at her legs.

"But you're all so cool, and I'm just... me." Kiran mumbled sadly.

"Ah, yes, of course my radiance cannot-" Virion proclaimed.

"Yes, you're you." Cherche cut Virion off. "Personally I think you're amazing."

"You know, the last time I went to the shadow ward, I almost ended up dead." Leonie said. "But you go in there like nothing!"

"The shadow waaard... what's that..." Setsuna asked slowly, still content in her awkward position.

"Where all the fallen heroes are. Hegemon Husk Edelgard, Grima, Berkut, and more." Cherche said with a frown.

"Mmmmm. I wanna see." Setsuna stood up and brushed herself off.

"There you are!" Hinoka called out, descending atop her pegasus, and looking at the dismantled ropes when she landed. "Gods, again with you getting stuck! Thanks for letting her loose."

"My lady... we're going to the shadow waaard..." Setsuna hummed, holding her arms up behind her head.

"What? Why?" Hinoka flinched, grabbing her naginata protectively. "Why there?"

"Yeah, what?" Kiran looked at her.

Leonie, Virion, and Cherche snuck away, shuddering at the thought of going to the Shadow Ward in one piece, and leaving otherwise.

"Let's goooo!" Setsuna walked towards the steps into Askr, to leave the beach.

"Lady Hinoka, did you find our delightful absent-minded friend?" Azama asked, catching up leisurely.

"Y-Yeah, we found her, but she's going somewhere even more dangerous!" Hinoka explained.

"Hmm. So she is." Azama noted out loud.

"...well?!" Hinoka groaned after several seconds of silence. "We've gotta stop her before she gets killed!"

"I'll help too. The fallen heroes are pretty dangerous." Kiran said, making sure that Breidablik was attached securely to their belt.

"C'mon girl, you know the way back..." Hinoka whispered to her pegasus, stroking it's mane and face. When she released it, it took off, flying back to the order of Heroes. "We need to catch up, follow me!"


Hinoka walked carefully, her naginata raised in front of her, while Kiran walked just behind her.

"Setsuna!" She called out into the shadow ward, her call echoing off the unkempt buildings and dark alleys.

When she received no response, she kept walking, and noticed Azama walking nonchalantly past them.

"Azama, stay behind me, you're in danger!" Hinoka hissed quietly.

"Oh, I am?" He asked, stopping instantly the moment a knife pressed to his throat.

Hinoka swung her Naginata to a defensive position, and Kiran jumped in fright.

"Heheh. Looks like you're lost." Niles grinned, holding the knife, and a small bow in his other hand. "I thought you were somebody else."

He pulled his knife away and tucked it into his jacket, and Hinoka relaxed slightly. Azama didn't seem to care either way.

"Niles, have you seen Setsuna? We're trying to stop her from hurting herself." Hinoka asked, looking around.

"She might be in danger." Kiran said quietly, unable to look Niles in the eye.

"Don't worry, friend." Niles grinned, feeling Kiran's chin with his hand and making them blush awkwardly. "I'm sure Setsuna is fine, see?"

He pointed a thumb over his shoulder and they could see Setsuna dangling from her ankles above them.

"Heyyy." Setsuna said. "I'm flying, wheee."

"Setsuna! Oh for-!" Hinoka groaned, climbing trash and boxes to get her down, while Azama watched in amusement.

"You're looking interesting, Summoner. Changing up your look, are we?" Niles teased, as Kiran backed away nervously.

"Um... my robe is being repaired..." Kiran explained from a distance. "Commander Anna won't let me into the strategy room if I don't take a break."

"Hmm, relaxing, huh? Need your strength." Niles shrugged. "Gotta admit, you're cuter this way."

"Quit flirting with the Summoner!" Hinoka called out, trying to cut Setsuna down.

"Flirting? Hah! I'm not flirting, I'm making conversation." Niles smiled and looked Kiran in the eyes. As Kiran got self conscious and looked away, Niles chuckled. "Your reactions are fun."

"Who... dares..." A dark figure boomed from the darkened alleyway, stepping towards the group. Purple flames scattered at their feet, and every footstep seemed to hammer another nail into their coffins.

Hinoka hurried and cut Setsuna loose, and she fell all the way to the ground, Azama failing--or reluctant--to catch her, despite being close enough to do so.

"Well, looks like I'm out. Catch you later." Niles flashed a wink towards Kiran, before hurrying away. Despite the attempts to hide it, even Niles was afraid of the approaching threat.

"Shoot, we're out of time!" Hinoka jumped down and landed, bracing with her naginata as the dark spectre stepped into the light.

"Hello, Grima...!" The Summoner said carefully, rubbing their neck.

"Whelps... all of you... disturbing my slumber..." Grima snarled, six red eyes of the fell dragon lighting up in the shadow behind him. "What is the meaning of this..."

"We're just passing through." Kiran said, bowing slightly, as Hinoka and the others kept their distance.

"Passing through my domain... how brave. If not foolish." Grima chuckled, flames swirling around him and burning trash away. "Come here, girl... let the blessings of Grima be upon you..."

Hinoka readied her Naginata as Grima's dark grasp reached out.

"Actually!" Kiran stepped between them. "I was uhh... wondering."

"What is he doing?!" Hinoka hissed.

"Probably asking a question." Azama shrugged.

"Of course, but why?! We have to get out of here! Tensions are high with the fallen heroes, we could start a war here...!" Hinoka's grip quivered.

"Shush, I wanna hear the glowy man." Setsuna said, resting her chin on Hinoka's shoulder.

"What... what am I to you?" Kiran asked.

The alleyway fell dead silent, and somewhere in the distance, Cherche sneezed.

"...is this a joke?" Grima could hardly believe what he had heard.

"No." Kiran stated, looking him in the eyes.

"You're worthless. You're nothing. Pathetic, squirming worm." Grima growled, tendrils of purple flame licking away at the ground beneath him.

"A-Ah..." Kiran hesitated.

"Just like the rest of your pathetic order. You're no different." Grima dismissively waved his hand towards the Hall of Heroes.

"Then... you see me as an equal?" The Summoner asked.

"Not to me." Grima frowned.

"Okay... thanks." Kiran smiled slightly to themself, somehow extrapolating meaning from the Fell Dragon's insults.

"Summoner!" Hinoka whispered. "We need to go...!"

"Yeah, okay...! Well, thank you, Grima. We should get going."

"Rid my sight, pests..." Grima snarled, turning around and freezing, before walking swiftly in another direction.

"Egh...! Go, go go go!" Kiran pushed and shoved Azama, Setsuna, and Hinoka, breaking into a run.

Hegemon Husk Edelgard stepped through the Shadow Ward, towering over some buildings and drawing powerful breaths. Her destructive potential was unending, and nobody wanted to stick around.


"What was that all about?" Hinoka threw her arms up into the air, once they reached safety.

"I wanted to know from... from somebody I'm not all that close to!" Kiran panted, catching their breath.

"I know they can't harm you since you're the Summoner, but come on!" Hinoka groaned, looking down with a huff. "I'm glad you're safe. And for the record, you're perfect just the way you are."

"Thank you, that... that means a lot, coming from you." The Summoner graciously nodded.

"Yeah, it's true. I do have to deal with some odd ducks." She shot a glance at Azama, who was looking down at Setsuna. She had somehow managed to trip and fall into a barrel headfirst. "Thanks for helping me out of that situation. You're great with people."

Kiran froze for a moment, then cleared their throat. Their expression darkened and they looked down with a sad frown.

"What's wrong...?" Hinoka asked worriedly, as the barrel toppled over and Setsuna stood up with it still on her head.

"I'm... I..." Kiran searched for the right words, before shaking their head and forcing a smile. "I should go, it's getting late."

"Oh, uh, sure." Hinoka said, not willing to keep The Summoner longer than necessary. "Be safe on the way back."

"I will." Kiran smiled, before walking away.


Kiran returned to his room. Not the strategy room, but his actual quarters. Inside, he laid on his bed and turned over, looking at the wall, before turning back and staring into the mirror on the other end of the room.

He looked into his golden eyes and watched the tears well up below them.

"Good with people..."