Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with another chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.

I'm very grateful for the reviews and the positive response I got from you. One thing that stood out was the comments about the constant alerts affecting the reading experience negatively - and I agree completely. That's something I fixed (I hope) while writing this chapter, and you'll most likely notice how. A consequence of the way I intend to fix it will be that I won't keep track of Jack's growth as meticulously in the future. I will keep track, just not on a super detailed level.

Another important change is that this chapter and the future ones will mainly be written in present tense instead of past tense. I decided this because I have an easier time telling the story from Jack's perspective this way. Writing everything in past tense makes me fell like I'm writing a single giant flashback, which is not my intention with this fic.

Regarding some specific reviews:

Sugouxxx: To each their own, I guess. Though I'm curious which pairings you prefer (if any), both for the Avatar and for an OC.

killblade373: No, I won't integrate any crafting or forging system in this fic. While weapons and gear have some significance in this story, I want to focus on the skills and personality of the characters. Besides, I think DrakenSword0z handles that concept way better than I could.

BBWulf and guest reviewer: I admit, censoring my swearing might look weird, but that's because swearing is a bit of a sensitive area for me. Just think of swearing as a concept that I prefer to avoid. And to make this statement seem even more inconsistent, I have no problems writing innuendos or double entendres. XD

Copyright disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Fire Emblem or The Gamer. For a full copyright disclaimer, please check chapter 1.

With that out of the way; enjoy!

Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy. - Frederick


Chapter 2: Only you can stop forest fires! Attack of the undead in the dead of night!

Did you read the entire last chapter? Good, that means you've caught up to where I am right now. You can basically count everything up to this point as a diary entry of sorts.

It's been about an hour since we left Southtown behind. Lissa's been complaining every now and then about not staying the night, but Frederick seems to take it all in stride while neither Chrom nor Robin seem to mind being on the road as the sun is setting. With nothing of note happening to us while traveling, I took the time to look through my stuff more carefully. Specifically, the bag that I received after I completed my first quest. It's pretty small, small enough that I can attach it to the small of my back via the rope belt. But there's gotta be more to this thing than just a little extra storage space. I mean, the game calls it a mysterious bag. Observe, do your thing.


New item observed! Identified Dimensional Pocket Bag! You gain 50 EXP!

Congratulations! You have identified an item of extraordinary rarity! You gain 5 000 EXP!

You have leveled up!

Due to identifying an extraordinarily rare item, Observe is now level 25! The cost of Observe goes down by 1 MP per use!

Dimensional Pocket Bag, Accessory, Transcendental
While it looks like an ordinary bag on the outside, the inside is lined with complex spell runes, turning it into its own pocket dimension. No matter what you put in here, or how much of it, it will fit without any problems. Even stranger is that you can reach for anything stored inside and pull it out without any problems, no matter how much else is stored within. It's essentially a hoarder's best friend!
Provides infinite inventory space. The weight of this bag is unaffected by the items stored in it. This item is indestructible.

System updating. Please wait…

Inventory menu updated. Check the menu for further details.


Holy dragonstones… I had this thing on me from the beginning? Well, I'm not complaining! If this thing lets me carry as much as I want, I'll carry as much as I want! And the first things going in here are those skill books. Ah, much better. You have no idea how tiring it can be carrying a pair of thick books non-stop for an hour.

Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 1!

See what I mean?

Second order of business is something that I should've taken care of before I arrived in Southtown. Thinking back, there were A LOT of alerts popping up. Sure, they provided me with plenty of useful info, but having all those alerts popping up in my line of sight got really distracting. Just imagine if one of those alerts pop up right when I'm in the middle of a hectic battlefield and I get distracted? No, that won't do. Besides, the constant alerts are starting to annoy the read- Er, I mean, over-analyzing everything kind off ruins the fun in adventuring.

Hmm… The description of the "Options" menu in my Observe log did hint at something regarding constantly appearing alerts. Some looking around in that menu should provide a solution to my problem.

Hello, what have we here?

Do you wish to disable automatic alerts?

Just what I was looking for. Yes, please.


Automatic alerts have been disabled. Automatic alerts for quests, increase of level or stats, obtaining items, the appearance of boss level enemies and important happenings in combat will still appear. To view all alerts, check the "!" sign on the interface.


And that's when I notice an exclamation mark appear above my money count. A quick check shows a list that doesn't just contain all alerts that I've seen up until this point, it even shows when they popped up. Well, that's handy.


Time skip

After another hour of walking, we finally stop in a forest clearing. More importantly, the sun has set.

"I told you – it's getting dark already! …Ech! And now the bugs are out!" Lissa complains. "Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when-" Lissa suddenly looks a bit green in the face. You okay, girl?

"Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!"

Chrom just chuckles. "Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character. Want to help me gather firewood?"

"Thpt! Thpt! Yeeeeeuck! …I think I swallowed it… I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!" Heh, this coming from someone who practically lives with Frederick.

"We should probably think about food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!" Robin pops in.

Frederick nods. "Yes, I think a little hunting and gathering is in order. Now, who wants to clear a campsite?"

I volunteered for the gathering part. It was the perfect opportunity to consume those skill books. Something unexpected happened right after I absorbed the book for "basic mana manipulation" though.


Due to your high intelligence, you gained the skill "Elemental mana manipulation"!

Elemental mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive
A skill originally created by a great sage who had learned much about the works of nature. By combining this knowledge with his mastery over mana, the sage gained the ability to bend the elements to his will.
Allows the bearer of this skill to add elemental properties to their skills. This increases both their cost and potency. Some skills gain unique properties when infused with the right element.


Imagine my surprise when I found this out. This opens up a world of possibilities for the kind of skills I can create in the future. And that's before we take "Mimicry" into account, which basically allows me to mimic the personality traits, physical appearance (when leveled up) and – most importantly – skills of any person, including fictional ones. Yeah, I'm on a roll! When we get to Ylisstol, I'm so gonna look for a place to train my skills in peace. But I'm getting ahead of myself. It's back to food gathering with lots of Observe spamming. And let me tell you, healthy forests are teeming with all sorts of plant- and wildlife. Gathering berries and mushrooms did wonders for my survival know-how. Good thing I spammed Observe, since some of the more delicious-looking berries turned out to be poisonous. Nothing deadly, but fighting with an upset stomach sounds awful. And then there was this weird white flower that I found among the bushes…


Dragon jade, Consumable, Rare

A flower native to the land of Chon'sin. Its petals can be brewed to make an exquisite tea. Processed in a specific way, however, and the brew is turned into a potent poison instead. Pick whichever tickles your fancy. Delectable tea? Or deadly poison?


I could've sworn I had heard the phrase at the end of the entry from somewhere… Meh, I can think about it later.


It's not long before everything is in order, with fresh berries for everyone to enjoy while the mushrooms are cooked over an open fire alongside bear meat. Yeah, apparently, Chrom found a bear and then physically overpowered the animal through brute strength alone. I repeat; Chrom overpowered a freakin' bear before impaling the poor thing on a tree branch and carried it to our camp site like it was an everyday occurrence! Sheesh, am I the only one who bats an eye at that? Ah, screw it! The bear meat looks just about ready. Never tried any myself before, so this should make an interesting experience.

Chrom enjoys his share with a big smile. "Mmm… It's been too long since I last had bear meat. Delicious! …What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in."

Said princess looks less than thrilled. "Pass. Gods, why couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're messing with the food chain. Right, guys? …Uh, guys?"

Robin looks like she hasn't eaten for days. Was her piece of bear meat that small when she- aaand it's gone. And now she reaches for another piece. Speaking of which, I'd better taste this meat before she eats my portion too.

Hey, this is pretty good. Nice fragrance, the flavor spreads pleasantly in my mouth. I could get used to- Oh Naga, the aftertaste! Nasty! Think it'll go away if my tongue gets used to it? One more bite. There, good taste is back. That wasn't so- Guh! It's back with a vengeance! Quick! Water! Where's a bottle of water when you need it?

"Are you okay, Jack? You look a little pale." Lissa asks.

Huuh… hah… okay. I'm fine now. "The bear meat tastes fine at first, but that aftertaste is just terrible! Chrom, how do you put up with it?"

"Simple. Meat is meat." Chrom answers.

"Since when does meat smell like old boots?!" Lissa exclaims. "Wait, I take it back – boots smell better!"

I can't resist this one. "I assume you know this from personal experience?" My grin may or may not be friendly.

Hah! Lissa looks so flustered, it's hilarious! "Wha- No, I mean- Rrgh! That's not my point!"

I don't care. I'll just sit and laugh it up.

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy." Frederick chips in.

Lissa glares at the Great Knight. "Really? Then why don't I see YOU eating, Frederick?"

"Me? Oh, well… I'm not hungry. I… I had a large lunch! Yes, quite." Frederick, you're not going to convince anyone with that kind of argument. Lissa's about to retort when the argument breaks up by Robin snatching Frederick's portion of the bear meat. Aaand it's down the hatch. Wow, girl wasn't kidding when she said she was starving. If this is her normal appetite, she'd need one heck of a training regimen to keep her figure.


It's soon time for sleeping, which means we take turns as night watch. I volunteer for the first watch. It's not because I want uninterrupted sleep later or anything. There's a few things I want to do. I decide to sit in a tree a few paces away from the campsite. The branch I picked gives me a good view of the place, so any intruder passing in my direction will get to know me and my sword. Any intruder coming from another direction will easily get spotted. Now for the reason I volunteered for first watch. There are some skills I want to create. The first one should help me immensely in my training. I lean back against the trunk and get comfortable. Cross my legs. Deep breaths. Close my eyes and concentrate.


A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Meditation"!

Meditation, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive/Active, Cost: 0 MP
The art of relaxing and focusing the mind has been practiced in certain cultures for millennia, enabling the user to sharpen their focus and clear the mind from distracting elements. This kind of focus allows you to draw out strength in ways that were previously unavailable to you.
Passively increases STR, VIT and WIS by 20 %. While active, increases HPR and MPR by 100 %. This skill cannot be active during combat.


Yep, this skill will serve me well in the long run, especially when I level up my skills. Now for the other one.


A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Reinforcement"!

Reinforcement, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 60 MP
A skill where the user circulates mana through the body to strengthen it. A master of this skill can achieve physical feats that belies their seemingly inappropriate physique.
Increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 20 %. Duration: 30 sec. Can be stacked up to three times.


I'm well aware that my physical abilities are lacking. This skill should help me make up for it until I get stronger. If the progress I made with Observe was any indication, leveling up this skill shouldn't just make the boost bigger and last longer, it should reduce the cost of the skill as well. In fact, thanks to the regen-boost I get from Meditation, I can use Reinforcement right now and get some practice in without using too much MP.

Back to the topic of getting stronger, there is the question about how to spend my stat points. I mulled this question in my head while meditating. Some of my stats had increased independently of how I spent my points when I was in Southtown. It makes sense, now that I think about it. The body grows stronger the more you exercise (within reasonable limits, of course). Since I was involved in so much fighting, it only made sense that my physical stats increased as a result. Maybe I don't need to use my points just yet in order to get stronger. Heck, my physical stats should probably increase just by training with the Shepherds. From what I remember from Frederick's support conversations, he has his own patented training program called "Frederick's fanatical fitness hour". That should help me with my stats immensely – for the time being. The benefits will be great in the beginning, true, but I'm sure those will get smaller as I get stronger. That's how it works in real life. The better you are at something, be it raw strength or a specific skill, the more training you need in order to improve. So I'll save up my points for now and find alternate ways to get stronger until the benefits become too small for my tastes. Then I spend my points.

You've made a wise decision in how you wish to grow stronger. WIS increases by 1!

The game seems to agree with me (probably because it works that way in the Gamer manga as well). INT might fall into the category of small benefits at this point. I mean, I was just about ready to graduate from a modern university as an engineer before I ended up here. The INT stat primarily increases by studying and learning new stuff, right? The thing is, the technological level and knowledge in every Fire Emblem game I've seen is on a level that would be considered laughable in the modern world. I highly doubt I'll learn something new from the books of this world, with the exception of the arcane sort. Unless… I can learn new stuff through Observe… I may be book smart, but there's a lot of stuff that I might still be able to learn by observing. Now there's an interesting idea. If I keep observing and then spend time reading through all those entries, that should count as studying, right?

You have perceived an unconventional way of getting stronger. WIS increases by 1!

Game says: yes.

Guess I'll meditate and keep Reinforcement up while I keep watch. I might take some time to go through my Observe log as well to read up on all the stuff I've seen. Better yet, I might as well Observe my companions and expand my log.

Not much seems to stick out since I already know a lot about them from the game, but one observation does deserve some note. The entry on Chrom's sword.


New weapon observed! Discovered Falchion! You gain 50 EXP!

Congratulations! You have identified a weapon of extraordinary rarity! You gain 3 000 EXP!

You have leveled up!

Due to identifying an extraordinarily rare weapon, Observe is now level 30! The cost of Observe goes down by 1 MP per use!

Falchion, Sword, Base damage: 40, Divine
A sword that was forged from a fang from the divine dragon Naga over 1 000 years ago. Due to the properties of the material and the forging method, Falchion is virtually indestructible and has been passed down through the bloodline of the exalts to this day as a family heirloom. The sword is currently in a sealed state, limiting its cutting power to that of an ordinary sword. However, you can feel the power it possessed a millennium ago still pulsing within the blade.
Deals 300 % more damage against draconic creatures. Can only be wielded by one of the exalted bloodline.


Rare objects seem to hold a little bit of lore from the world of Awakening. Forget books! If I can find the objects themselves, I could make my own encyclopedia over rare artifacts!

Hmm… Not much to do on night watch other than keeping watch on my surroundings. Might as well go through the rest of my Observe log and catch up on that studying.

Ugh… The list of Observe entries is really long… Better get comfortable on my branch and crack down on the stuff. Sigh. This is just like when I studied at the university. Literature and texts as far as the eye can reach…


Time skip

Due to diligent studying INT goes up by 2!

Maaan… Reading through all those entries took its sweet time. I hope I can find a more efficient way of reading all these Observe entries, 'cause there's no way I'll spend nights on end reading up on every little thing I discover in the hopes of raising my INT a little bit. Especially not when I could use the time for other activities, like training my body or practice my skills.

Hmm… Looks like Chrom and Lissa have a hard time sleeping. They wave in my direction before walking off into the forest.

Sure is a quiet night. No bugs buzzing in the air, no birds making any noise, no-

Wait a minute, no birds? This sounds awfully familiar-

*Rumble!*


Quest alert
Main quest: Unwelcome change
It's a zombie apocalypse! Or rather, the beginning of an invasion. The Risen have arrived and they even have the nerve of setting half a forest on fire! Find Chrom and Lissa ASAP and send those walking corpses back to the grave they crawled out from!
Objectives: Accompany Frederick and Robin to find Chrom and Lissa. Don't let Chrom, Lissa or Robin die. Defeat all Risen.
Rewards: 2 000 EXP, 2 000 gold, ?, ?, ?, ?
Failure: Chrom meets an untimely demise, resulting in the inevitable return of a great evil with no one to oppose it (Oh, you already know who it is!).


Oh cr-p, the Risen are here! I quickly jump down from the tree and run to the camp site. Fortunately, Frederick and Robin are already on their feet. A quick whistle from Frederick has his trusty horse at his side in seconds.

"Jack, where did milord and milady head off to?" Frederick shouts in a stern voice.

I point in the general direction. "I saw them go in that direction. Hopefully they're still somewhere over there."

I barely finish my words before Frederick's off like an arrow. Robin and I make a mad dash after him. Good thing I have Reinforcement active, or else I would've been left behind. As it is, I try to slow down a bit so Robin can keep pace with me.

"Jack, what's going on?"

"I don't know, Robin, but I've got a bad feeling about this. Get ready for anything. I don't know much about earthquakes, but this is NOT natural!"

I notice something glowing in the night sky that seems way bigger than the moon. That would be the time portal that the Risen came from. Something else dives out. A single caped figure. Is that…"Marth"? Has to be.

We soon catch up to Frederick. Good, he already found Chrom and Lissa.

"Chrom! Lissa! What happened here?" I shout as me and Robin arrive.

Lissa turns to us. Poor girl looks white as a sheet. "Frederick! Robin! Jack!"

Robin takes a look at the undead creatures not far from us and flinches in shock. "Are such horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?"

Chrom narrows his eyes in the same direction. "They're not from Ylisse, I promise you that."

"No one is injured, then? Thank the gods…" Frederick says after taking a quick look on us all.

"Thank the masked man who saved me!" Lissa comments. "If it wasn't for him, I'd be- Hey, where did he go?"

I walk forward and draw my sword. "Not sure who you're referring to, Lissa, but we've got bigger problems right now. These… whatever they are don't look friendly. If we let them run loose, who knows what they'll do to anyone they cross paths with?"

"Agreed." Frederick comments while drawing his lance and getting in a battle position. "We'd best put these creatures to the blade as quickly as possible. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy."

The rest of us immediately get ready for battle as well, with Chrom and Frederick standing protectively in front of Lissa. Good call, guys. Always protect the healer. Now then, what can these zombies tell me?


New enemy observed! Discovered Risen! You gain 52 EXP!

Risen Lv 6
The corpse of a fallen soldier animated through a corrupt and sinister power. They only have one objective in mind; kill any living being in sight. A Risen will only stop when all living creatures in an area have been killed or they are utterly defeated themselves. Until then, these undead abominations will attack anything and everything relentlessly, with no regards to injuries or wounds.
Note: as they are undead enemies, Risen are immune to "Bleeding".


So they can't bleed, huh? Makes sense. They're just animated corpses, not living people.

"Everyone, these things don't care about wounds! You have to hit a vital area to kill them!" Chrom shouts from the side. Alright, what areas are vital now, again? Neck, heart, spine, lungs, liver, brain. Yeah, sounds about right.

The Risen scream a battle cry before charging us with all the finesse of a pack of rabid dogs. Those guys seem to get a lot of momentum in those dashes. Better not stand in their way when they do that.

*Boom!*

Unless, of course, your name is Frederick and you're a Great Knight with the ability to hit like a truck! That one charge from Frederick completely shattered whatever formation the Risen had and left them in disarray. Chrom and Robin immediately take the initiative by going in sword swinging and magic blazing. Hey, don't leave me behind, guys!

I run up to a Risen that was knocked down on the ground. Guess what, corpse? I'm getting pretty good at aiming for the neck!

Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!

Judging by the dark-purple mist that the Risen dissolves into after my sword sinks in, I hit the right spot. One down, many more to go. And the next one is right in front of me, charging in with a sword held high above the head. Seriously, these things have no finesse in their movements! I block the overhead slash with little difficulty and redirect it to the side to unbalance the Risen Mercenary. Its neck is completely exposed.

"Bullseye!"

Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!

A clean hit severs the neck, and that Risen dissolves into mist as well. That's two down! Now who's- Yikes! I almost got shot in the head! Great, they've got Archers in their ranks. Looks like Robin noticed too. After frying another Risen with a Thunder spell, she turns to Frederick.

"Frederick, they've got archers! Take them down!"

Frederick changes course and barrels straight into the mass of Risen. If I remember correctly from that almost-headshot, that's where that sneaky Archer fired its arrow from.

We're doing pretty well, all things considered, but those Risen keep coming. We need a better position! That's when I notice something to the right, roughly 15 paces away. Is that…an abandoned watchtower? A quick Observe confirms my guess. Better yet, the structure apparently holds up well despite some signs of disrepair.

"Hey, Robin, there's an old watchtower over there! Try climbing it. You might get a better view of the battlefield!"

Robin turns in the direction I point at and nods. She runs off, leaving me and Chrom to cover her temporary retreat. Hopefully she can use the view to coordinate us better.

The move soon pays off as Thunder spells fly from the direction of the watchtower and fry more Risen. But wait, now they're flying somewhere else?

"Lissa!" I hear Robin shout. Cr-p! We completely forgot about Lissa in the heat of the battle! I frantically look around and find her being chased by three Risen. They almost have her cornered!

"Oh no, you don't!" I shout as I make a mad dash towards Lissa.

Lissa's been doing a good job at dodging the Risens' attacks, but there's only so much she can do before she runs out of room. The silver lining here is that all three Risen are concentrating on her and show no indication of having noticed my running approach. Their backs are completely exposed and easy pickings. Let's begin with that Risen Myrmidon. Back slash!

Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 200 EXP! You gain 180 gold!

The Risen barely has time to convulse before dissolving into mist. By the time it's gone, the other two turn their heads and decide that I'm the more immediate threat.

Uh, maybe fighting two opponents at once wasn't exactly my brightest idea. Better start dodging and parrying! Good thing these freaks have no teamwork whatsoever. They're so desperate to attack me that they get in each other's way rather than coordinating their attacks. Sidestep the Soldier's lance, duck under the horizontal axe swing, roll to the right to dodge the lance again and jump to the side to dodge the axe a second time. Like with that bandit back in Southtown, the Risen Fighter's axe got stuck in the ground. Good, that gives me an opening on the Soldier. Said undead tries a few stabs, but honestly, it's not even that fast. A well-timed parry to the left, and its chest is wide open. I'm going for the heart!

Critical hit! You deal 140 damage!

Risen Lv 6 HP: 460 / 600

Cr-p, I missed the heart! And now my sword is stuck in the corpse! The Risen Fighter just pulled the axe out of the ground and is looking this way. Double
cr-p! Gotta think fast! Curses, let go of my sword, you stupid corpse! I can't fight while I'm stuck with you!

Or…can I? Okay, crazy idea time. Need to time this carefully. The Risen Fighter's going in for a mighty overhead strike, while its Soldier buddy clings to me for dear (after)life. Just as the axe is about to come down, I activate Telekinesis to lift up the Risen Soldier and twist around so our positions are reversed. The axe comes down – and goes right through the Soldier's head, stopping mere centimeters from where I stabbed it. The Risen Soldier gives of a final cry before dissolving into mist, thus freeing my sword. While the other Risen is busy looking dumbly at where it axed its buddy, I rush in and stab it in the neck.

Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!

Phew, that's all of them. Looks like Lissa made it without any injuries. Wait, why does she look so horrified?

"Jack, behind you!"

I barely have time to turn around before spotting another Risen Soldier charging right at me. It's aiming for my stomach! Side ste-

You take 92 damage! You are now suffering from "Bleeding"!

Oh Naga, the pain! I was too slow! The Risen nailed me in the side and now I have a lance stuck in my body! My vision's getting blurry. No, can't stop now! This is gonna suck. I grab the lance to stop the Risen from pulling it out. Instead, I pull in (The pain! The agony!).

You take 46 damage! Your bleeding got more severe!

The walking corpse does the undead equivalent of a "Huh?" before it gets a sword through the face and dissolves into mist.

Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!

I fall down on my bottom, panting. The lance is still stuck in my side and I'm losing blood fast. Gotta get this thing out and heal up!

"Jack!" Oh thank goodness Lissa's still here!

"Lissa, keep your staff at the ready. I'm going to pull the lance out and I need you to heal the wound immediately."

"Are you crazy?! Wait, I take it back. Of course you are! No sane person impales themselves further on a lance after they got stabbed with it just to get a hit on an enemy!"

I'm about to try arguing with her when I hear the sound of hoofs. Frederick?

"Captain Chrom! Wait! I'm coming! …Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em." Wait, that's a red person on a horse. What was her name again? The blood loss makes it kinda hard to remember…

"Alright, you ash-faced freaks! Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first?"

"Sully!" Lissa shouts. Oh yeah, that was her name.

"Muh? Lissa? What are ya- Whoa! Are you okay?" I think that question's meant for me. Pain makes thinking difficult.

"Hold, milady!" Hey, Virion's here too. "Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting! Would you leave- Good heavens, what happened here?!"

"Need a little help…" I groan out. "Can you help me pull this lance out so Lissa can heal me?"

Sully kneels down in front of me. "Alright, I'll do it. Hey, Ruffles, hold him steady so I won't pull him along with the d-mn thing!"

"R-Ruffles? Please, milady, will you not at least-"

"Just do it!"

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Virion gets behind me and grabs my shoulders. "Fear not, my friend. It will be over soon." I hope you're not referring to my life. Sully carefully grasps the shaft of the lance.

"Okay, look at me. Good. I'm gonna pull out this lance on three. You ready?"

Nod

"Three!" Wait, wha-

*Squelch!*

"Guaagh!" Oh Naga, the pain! And now blood's flowing out of the wound freely. Is this how I- Oh, that feels nice…

You are no longer suffering from "Bleeding".

"You're a lifesaver, Lissa." The Cleric looks relieved and pretty pleased with herself. I turn to Sully and Virion. "And thanks for getting that lance out. I don't think I would've made it on my own."

"Eh, don't mention it. A friend of Lissa's is a friend of mine." Sully says with a grin.

"'Tis the least the archest of archers can do to help a fellow man in need." Virion begins. "Fear not, for as long as I am here, victory is all but-"

"Look, as inspiring as your speeches are, we have more immediate concerns. We can't let those monstrosities out of the forest. We have to kill them here." I tell them. Virion looks less than thrilled about being interrupted but readies his bow nonetheless.

"Phew. All done!" Lissa says. Hey, she healed me up completely while we were busy talking! Girl knows how to do a good job.

"Thanks, Lissa." I then turn to Sully. "Hey, your name is Sully, right?" Sully nods. "Does your horse have space for one more person? Lissa almost got killed because no one watched over her, so I think it's a lot safer if you let her ride on your horse."

Sully nods again and calls her horse to us. "Sounds like a plan. C'mon, Princess. Let's go for a ride." With that, they're off.

"Clever." Virion notes with a smirk. "Clerics are often vulnerable because they can rarely fend for themselves in battle. Letting her ride with cavalry not only helps her reach wounded comrades easier, the rider can also provide protection for her at all times. My good man, you wouldn't happen to be a tactician, would you?"

Well, does playing through Awakening multiple times count?

"Not really. Our tactician is in the abandoned watchtower over there to direct us on the field while providing covering fire. Or rather, she provides covering Thunder."

Virion's face lights up at the mention of Robin. ""She", you say? My, my, your tactician wouldn't happen to be as beautiful as she is brilliant, would she? Perhaps I should make her company in that watchtower and help her shoot these foul creatures down."

"Feel free to join her if you wish. The watchtower should be able to hold the both of you despite not having been used for a long time. Should give you a good vantage point of the battlefield too. Though I wouldn't try being too forward with her if I were you. Her lightning magic packs a mean punch."

Virion gulps. "D-duly noted." We hurry back to the battlefield and find that Chrom and Frederick seem to handle things pretty well on the ground. I know I've mentioned this before, but those two are so strong it's almost ridiculous. Risen fly everywhere in the wake of our powerhouses' attacks. Sully's off to the side and sticks to hit-and-run attacks since Lissa's still with her. I run into the fray and join Chrom and Frederick in taking the Risen down up close and personal.

"Thanks for running off to help my sister." Chrom says as we briefly stand back-to-back.

"Anytime, Chrom. She's with the red Cavalier over there right now. Sully's her name."

"Sully's a Shepherd just like us. It's a good thing she got here in time. We'll need all the help we can get."

An arrow pierces the head of a Risen Mercenary who tried to attack Chrom.

"By the way, who's the archer?"

"Sully calls him "Ruffles", but I don't think that's his real name. He claims to be, and I quote, the "archest of archers"."

"Boastful or not, he certainly seems capable." As if to prove Chrom's point, Virion scores three more headshots on the Risen within as many seconds. Chrom and I disengage to continue the fight. With the added help of Sully and Virion, the number of Risen finally starts to thin. I think we should be done pretty soo-


Warning! Warning! Boss level enemy detected!


Uh oh, forgot about that one. Among the few remaining Risen, a bigger one steps forth and gives off a might roar.

"Ruueegh!"


New enemy observed! Discovered Risen Chief! You gain 52 EXP!

Risen Chief Lv 12
Among the Risen, these undead possess exceptional strength and resilience. They often lead the charge whenever Risen attack, but let the underlings attack first and only step in themselves when their numbers begin to thin. As they are significantly stronger than the average Risen, it is inadvisable to engage them one-on-one.


That thing…looks like bad news. Based on what Observe tells me, it makes the bandit leader from our previous battle look like a pushover. And unlike the last battle, this boss still has plenty of allies for backup.

"I'll hold off that monstrosity. Take out the others as fast as you can and then help me bring this one down!" Chrom commands.

Not that Frederick would agree on that. "Milord, I cannot allow you to face such a foe on your own! I shall assist you in this battle."

"I'll be fine, Frederick. I'm more than capable of handling myself against this foe."

"Actually, Chrom, you should listen to Frederick's advice. I know you can tell that creature is much stronger than the others, and Frederick might give you the edge you need against an opponent like that." I add. Both men look at me in surprise.

"What? I agree with Frederick on this one! It's not that weird, is it?"

Chrom frowns for a bit before nodding. Without another word, he and Frederick charge the Risen Chief, leaving the mooks for the rest of us to finish off.

Let's see… There's about a dozen Risen left, give or take a few. Should be doable. Wait, make that eleven. Virion just nailed another headshot. And here they come!

Uh-oh, looks like they're headed for the watchtower. Guess the Risen are finally wising up after all those long-range attacks coming from that direction. Better intercept them before-

*Crash!*

What the- The watchtower is collapsing? Cr-p! Robin and Virion are still there! Sully's riding towards the remains at full speed while swiping at any Risen running too close. I start running and place myself between the Risen and the collapsed watchtower.

"Ueergh… Ragh!"

Maybe facing down these many Risen on my own was a bad idea…

"Jack, get down!" I hear Robin shout behind me.

I immediately throw myself at the ground. Not even a second later, the Risen get blasted back by lightning magic and a few arrows. I get back up and find Robin and Virion surprisingly in good health.

"Thank goodness you guys are safe!" I say as I run up to them. "How did you make it?"

"Lovely Robin here saw that monstrosity wind up for throwing an axe towards the tower." Virion answers while indicating the clearing where the Risen Chief fights against Chrom and Frederick. "'Tis a good thing she told me to jump. I never expected an axe, of all things, to be thrown against us, much less destroy an entire watchtower in a single blow."

Axe? I glance at the fallen watchtower and notice an Iron Axe sticking out from the rubble. My word… The Risen Chief one-shot the watchtower with that? We'd better help Chrom ASAP, 'cause I'm sure that undead has more weapons on hand. Before that, though, we still have the underlings to take care of. Robin's and Virion's assist managed to hit home well. They're down to six now.

"Save some for me!"

And there's Sully flanking them and running over two more with her horse. Lissa's taken shelter behind some trees, leaving the fighting to us. Well, four-on-four sounds like pretty good odds in my ears. We each take one and soon finish up. Now all that's left is helping Chrom and Frederick finish off that Risen Chief.

*Wham!* "Milord!" *Thump!*

Did Chrom just fly through the air and land at our feet? Uh-oh, he's bleeding from the mouth!

"Chrom!" Lissa rushes to his side and begins healing him.

I look towards where he flew in from and pale. That Risen Chief has another weapon, alright. A massive war hammer!


New weapon observed! Discovered Hammer! You gain 52 EXP!

Hammer, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 60, Rare
Hammers have been used both for construction and de-construction for generations. In times of war, however, human ingenuity soon weaponized this mundane tool into a brutal instrument of destruction. The immense weight of hammers allow for powerful swings, but it also makes them very unwieldy. The amount of metal needed to make even a single Hammer and the difficulty of wielding them in battle make them a rare sight. But when one does appear, expect the wielder to have plenty of raw strength.
Deals 300 % more damage against heavily armored units.


Looks like the Risen Chief got Chrom with a clean hit. The blood from his mouth probably means internal injuries. Frederick's a lot more cautious now that the hammer is out. We'd better help him.

"Thank you, Lissa. I'm ready to go again." Chrom says while trying to stand up. Lissa immediately grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him down.

"Oh no, you don't, mister! You have at least two broken ribs on your left side. I need to heal this properly before it gets any worse."

"But-"

"No buts! Now sit down and let me work!"

There's something oddly entertaining in seeing Chrom get bossed around by a Cleric much smaller than him, even if said Cleric is his younger sister – especially when said Cleric is his younger sister. Guess she's still sore from that "delicate" comment.

Robin and Virion open fire on the Risen Chief, giving Frederick some much needed breathing room and an opening for me and Sully to charge in. Sully flanks the Risen on the left and scores a blow on its shoulder. I use the distraction to stab it in the leg.

"Raagh!"

I don't think I did anything more than piss it off. The Risen raises the Hammer and brings it down. Roll!

*Thoom!*

The Hammer blow left a pretty sizable dent on the ground. Yikes! Chrom got hit by a swing like that? I'm amazed he got away with only two broken ribs! Still, this gives me the opening for another crazy idea.

"Hupp!"

Before the Risen can raise the Hammer back up, I cling to the arm with both legs and one hand. The Risen disapproves and starts shaking its arm around wildly. Man, this thing's strong! It lifts up the Hammer AND my entire body weight! Oh no, it's got a free arm! It's reaching for me!

"Hryah!"

Oh thank goodness! Sully to the rescue! She follows my lead and grabs the other arm. Okay, while it's distracted, I flip my sword and hold it in a reverse grip. That shoulder looks important.

You deal 64 damage!

Risen Chief Lv 12 HP: 860 / 1 600

The Risen looks back at me and seems even angrier. Sully takes the opportunity to punch it in the face.

*Crack!*

Ouch. That sounds like a mean left she's packing. But that makes the Risen look back at her. So I'll just take another pot shot.

You deal 67 damage!

Risen Chief Lv 12 HP: 730 / 1600

This basically goes back and forth a few times before the giant undead has enough and begins swinging around both arms wildly. I hang on for dear life but realize that it's only a matter of time before my grip slips. In a last-ditch effort, I stab my sword near the base of the Risen's neck.

"Sully, let go!" I shout as I release my own grip on the undead arm and fly off. Good thing she complies, else this would count as friendly fire.

"Robin!"

The Tactician picks up on my improvised plan and launches a Thunder spell right at the sword jammed in the Risen's body. Just like the last battle back in Southtown, the electric spell is conducted straight into the undead. We got da combos, people!

The Risen roars in anger and pain as it twitches from having a deadly electric current running rampant in its body. It's not dead, but that wasn't my end goal. While the Risen is busy recovering from Robin's Thunder spell, Frederick comes charging in full force and impales it on his Silver Lance. The Risen is pushed backwards and staggers, but it's still not down. That's when Virion runs up, jumps onto the back of Frederick's horse, and then jumps again over the head of the Risen. It takes note of the Archer – and then the arrow aimed right at its face.

"Die with magnificence!"

Virion lets the arrow fly at point-blank range and nails the Risen right between the eyes before landing gracefully behind it. He could call himself fabulous right now, and I would agree wholeheartedly.

The Risen gives off a final pained cry and collapses on its knees. The Hammer falls from its limp fingers and then vanishes in an explosion of dark purple mist along with the Risen itself.


Fatal hit! Virion killed Risen Chief! Nice team combo! You gain 500 EXP!

You have leveled up!

Chrom has leveled up!

Lissa has leveled up!

Frederick has leveled up!

Robin has leveled up!

Sully has leveled up!

Virion has leveled up!

Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 3!
Due to prolonged exhausting activity and recovering from a grievous wound, VIT goes up by 5!
Due to plenty or running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 4!


I pick up my sword, relieved and quite surprised that channeling lightning magic through it hasn't done any damage on its structure, and sheathe it as I look around the battlefield. That should've been all the Risen, right? So where's the quest alert? Eh, I can think about it later.

We head back to Chrom to check up on him. Looks like Lissa finished healing him up completely sometime when Robin and I pulled off our combo move, so he had no real opportunity to rejoin the fight. He's a bit annoyed about that, since he was the one to declare himself capable of holding the Risen Chief on his own, but still glad that none of us died when we fought the undead group. Lissa does a quick round of check-ups and heals any minor wounds or scrapes that we received during the battle. Just as she finishes up, Frederick returns (When did he even walk away?) with a certain masked individual in tow.

"It seems all the creatures are vanquished. This young man took care of the others." Frederick reports. The masked person takes a glance at all of us without uttering a word.

Lissa fidgets a bit before walking up to them. "Um, I never got to thank you…for before. So… thank you. You were very brave."

Chrom approaches with a smile. "You saved my sister's life. My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?"

"You may call me Marth." the masked individual replies after a little more silence.

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "Marth? After the heroic king of old?" Though he doesn't dwell long on the matter. "You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your way with a sword?"

"I'm not here to talk about me." "Marth" answers curtly. "This world teeters on the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned."

With those words, the masked sword wielder leaves, vanishing among the trees within moments.

"Huh? What's teetering where now?" Lissa asks. "Hey, wait!" But her question remains unanswered. The forest grows silent once more.

"Not much for conversation, is he?" Robin comments.

"It appears his skills lie elsewhere." Frederick replies. "I wager we'll hear his name again… But for now I'm more concerned about the capital. We should make haste."


Quest alert: Unwelcome change
With the help of Sully, Virion and a mysterious individual calling themselves "Marth", you manage to contain the Risen to the forest they landed in and defeat them all. It's relieving that everyone made it out alive and well, but "Marth's" ominous words about an incoming calamity still echo in your minds. Frederick's concern may actually be justified for once. Next stop: Ylisstol!
Objectives cleared: Accompany Frederick and Robin to find Chrom and Lissa. Don't let Chrom, Lissa or Robin die. Defeat all Risen.
All objectives cleared!
Rewards:
You gain 2 000 EXP! You gain 2 000 gold! Your relationship with Chrom has improved! Your relationship with Robin has improved! Your relationship with Lissa has improved! Your relationship with Frederick has improved!

"Social status" has been unlocked in the menu!

Your relationship with Frederick has advanced! Your relationship with Frederick is now "Neutral".


There's the quest alert! Phew, glad that's over. And I unlocked yet another slot in the menu. Hey, that's all of them! But…my side quest is still ongoing. A look into the new menu screen shows that it has sub menus, out of which only "Relationships" is available. Guess I have to unlock all of them in order to finish the side quest.

I managed a quick sweep over the battlefield before we moved on. Much to my surprise, what happened to the Hammer at the end of the boss battle seems to be the norm when fighting Risen. When the Risen are all defeated, the weapons they carried into battle vanish. Bummer. And here I hoped I could loot a field full of weapons. Right when I got my infinite storage bag all settled in too… Ah, well. Guess I can't get it all.

Here's another strange thing though. When the Risen arrived, their entrance set at least half the forest on fire. Now that all the Risen are gone, the fire vanished as well, the only traces left being the foliage that burned during the battle. Weird. Really weird.

But I have little time on dwelling on that as well, since Lissa just realized that we'll walk all night long to get to the capital as fast as possible. Let's just say; I've never heard anyone rant for nearly an hour with anger practically radiating off of them – without uttering even a single vulgar word.

To be continued


Preview of the next chapter

*Camera shows Emmeryn in the audience hall*

Jack: Your Grace, I am not worthy!

Chrom: Yeah, she has that effect on people.

Lissa: Part of what makes her the best sister ever.

Robin: Wait, she's your sister?! But that makes you and Chrom-

Frederick: The princess and prince of Ylisse? Indeed.

Lissa: Never mind that. Come on, I want to show you something.

Jack: Lissa, wai- Whoa!

*The Shepherds are gathered in their barracks*

Lissa: Tada! Meet our new recruits, everyone!

Vaike: Looks like Teach got some newbies to show the ropes!

Maribelle: The only thing you will teach them, Vaike, is how abhorrent your manners are!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

Meeting the Shepherds. Intros and infos in the capital.

*Sumia trips face-first hard*

Jack: Someone tell Diddy Kong he has to clean up his banana peels. This isn't Smash Bros.


New skills:

Basic mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive
Harnessing the power of mana is an essential skill for anyone who wishes to practice the art of magic.
This skill allows the bearer to manipulate the mana in their body for whichever task they intend to fulfill. Enables creation and use of magic based skills.

Elemental mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive
A skill originally created by a great sage who had learned much about the works of nature. By combining this knowledge with his mastery over mana, the sage gained the ability to bend the elements to his will.
Allows the bearer of this skill to add elemental properties to their skills. This increases both their cost and potency. Some skills gain unique properties when infused with the right element.

Mimicry, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 80 MP
It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. A practitioner of this skill has the ability to mimic the mannerisms and abilities of another person, so long as the user is knowledgeable enough. A master of this skill can even alter their physiology to become an exact physical replica of another person.
Grants the ability to mimic another person's speech patterns, voice and reactions. Any new skill used while in a mimicking state is added to the user's skill set. Leveling up this skill will grant the ability of shape shifting and voice altering.

Meditation, Lvl 5 [35.0 %], Passive/Active, Cost: 0 MP
The art of relaxing and focusing the mind has been practiced in certain cultures for millennia, enabling the user to sharpen their focus and clear the mind from distracting elements. This kind of focus allows you to draw out strength in ways that were previously unavailable to you.
Passively increases STR, VIT and WIS by 20 %. While active, increases HPR and MPR by 120 %. This skill cannot be active during combat.

Reinforcement, Lvl 6 [68.0 %], Active, Cost: 60 MP
A skill where the user circulates mana through the body to strengthen it. A master of this skill can achieve physical feats that belies their seemingly inappropriate physique.
Increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 20 %. Duration: 35 sec. Can be stacked up to three times.


And that's a wrap! This chapter is significantly shorter than the last one, most likely because I reduced the number of alerts a lot. I'll try to add alerts if they're of great importance or tell something I find interesting.

BTW, the "Dragon jade" entry contains a small reference. If you don't know which one, just look up "delectable tea or deadly poison" on Youtube. Such a short clip, but it speaks volumes XD

There's a specific reason why I set June 21st as Jack's birthday. That's the day I published the first chapter of this fic on this website. In a way, that was the day the character Jack left the womb that is my computer and was born into the internet. In other words, it's the day he was born into the world.

Please rate and review.

Until next time.

CrossVipeR316