Ah, that awkward phase when everything points towards a seasonal change, only for the weather to go "Nope!" and does a 180… If nothing else, it's a neat test of patience.

Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. At long last, the Valm arc starts for real. The time has come for the Shepherds to get back in action for the first time since the two years of peace.

I have a suggestion to all you readers who leave questions in your reviews; If you want answers quickly, sending me a PM is a better idea than to write that question in a review, only to have you wait until I post the next chapter. PM:s allow me to communicate with you a lot smoother than through review responses.

*Update 2019-02-25*
Had to make a minor adjustment in a shoutout that I included in this chapter. The person that it concerns will notice.

Now, onto some reviews.

Hashirama 1710: Not what I have in mind. While I imagine some of Robin's personality remains even after Grima fuses with the Avatar, my impression of Grima-Robin is that it's mainly the fell dragon in charge, which means that said fell dragon is still set on human genocide. Also, the fell dragon admiring Jack would be too strange even for my tastes…unless I somehow manage to make an omake of it.

LegacySpellsword: There are a few weapons I have in mind. For now, Harvest Moon is the only non-Traced weapon that Jack uses. He'll Trace other weapons along the way, but that only makes them temporary. Also, bear in mind that Jack has other skills besides Tracing. That's something I aim to demonstrate as the story progresses.

AscendedHumanity: I don't think neither Robin nor Jack would be up for it, even if they entertained the thought. Most of their steamy moments happen off-screen anyway, so there's little reason to bring clones into the mix for the sake of hot scenes in bed.

Mark20020: Just think of Jack's Bat of Punishment as a giant tetsubo that looks as painful as the swings are – 'cause that's exactly what it is.

warrior of six blades: Hah! You thought Raging demon Maribelle was terrifying with a parasol? Imagine Raging demon Maribelle – riding on L'Arachel!

Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.

We must stand against evil, in all its forms, or there can be no peace! – Chrom


Chapter 13:

Imperials be like: We R LEET!
Team, unite up!

"I must say, I'm impressed with how much you've changed since we last saw each other." Raimi muses as I lead her through the palace corridors. "I hardly recognized you at all back in the courtyard."

I shrug. "Yeah, a lot of things can happen when you embark on a great journey. Getting stronger was just one of the many things I did."

Raimi raises an eyebrow. "Oh? That's to be expected from any soldier. What makes your case so special?"

"I never said it was. I simply knew what I wanted to achieve and planned my training accordingly. Surely you've done the same."

The guard captain nods. "Indeed I have. Still, to change this much in the span of merely two years is nothing short of impressive."

I let a knowing smile grow on my lips. "Heh. If only you knew the full story…"

The conversation comes to a halt as we reach the doors to the throne room.

"Wait here." I tell Raimi before I walk in.

I'm impressed at how long Emmeryn can stand in this room for the sole purpose of receiving people who wish to talk to her. Seriously, if I didn't know any better, I'd think she spends almost all day standing here, just waiting for the next person to pop up. Nicely decorated as it may be, I'm convinced even Frederick would grow sick and tired of seeing the same decorations day in and day out for hours on end just because people want to know where to find you.

I kneel before the exalt as I reach the stairs to the throne. As usual, Chrom, Frederick and Phila are present. You know… The fact that Chrom is here makes me think Emmeryn is trying to teach him some diplomacy for future meetings. Guess even she wants some time to unwind.

"Your Grace, a messenger from Regna Ferox has arrived."

The exalt nods. "Very well. Send them in at once."

"As you command."

I return to the door and peek outside. "Come right in."

Raimi nods and walks in without a word. As she approaches, she too takes a knee before Emmeryn.

"You Grace, I come on behalf of Khan Regnant Flavia."

Emmeryn perks up at the mention of the khan. "Khan Flavia? This is most unexpected. What message did she wish to pass along?"

"An urgent one." the Feroxi Knight replies. "The khan requests your presence at a summit as soon as you're able."

"What has happened?"

"Our western neighbors of Valm are no longer acting so neighborly." Raimi explains. "The emperor, who they name the Conqueror, has launched warships against us."

Chrom scowls at the news. "An invasion? Are you certain of this?"

Raimi does a quick bow. "Yes, milord. The khan hopes to meet with both you and your sister in Ferox, if it please you."

"What do you make of this, Your Grace?" Frederick asks.

"Ill business to be sure." Emmeryn answers solemnly. "Captain Raimi, we will meet with Khan Flavia at once. Chrom, prepare for travel."

The prince nods. "On it, Emm."

At this moment, Cordelia walks in with a small white bundle in her arms. "Chrom…"

"I'd stay with you if I could, Cordelia…" Chrom tells his wife. "…but we owe Regna Ferox a great debt. We might learn something important at that summit. As such, it's important that both me and Emmeryn go there together."

Cordelia shakes her head. "I'm not asking you to stay here with me. I'm saying I'm coming with you."

Chrom blinks before he directs his attention to the bundle in his wife's embrace – their baby girl.

"B-but Lucina is newly born! She needs her mother now."

"Can she not be wet-nursed as you and your sisters were?" Cordelia asks. "That is House Ylisse's tradition, is it not? Lucina is a strong child; she takes after her father. The Brand in her left eye is not you only gift to her."

At that moment, Lucina blinks awake and smiles at her father.

Chrom places a gentle hand on Cordelia's cheek. "I'm worried about more than our child. I'm worried about you."

Cordelia frowns. "As kind of you as it is to say, I'm still coming."

Chrom blinks at his wife before he takes a step back. "*Sigh* I know better than to argue once your mind is made."

A smug smirk grows on Cordelia's lips upon hearing Chrom's answer. At the same time, Lissa walks in with a mischievous grin.

"Wow, Cordelia has you trained well!" To add insult to injury, the princess makes a whipping motion, complete with sound effects.

I snicker at the royal banter. "Makes me wonder which one of them wears the pants in their marriage."

Chrom pinches the bridge of his nose. "Neither of you two are helping. Speaking of which, Jack, do you think Robin will come along as well?"

I rub my chin in thought. "That sounds like a reasonable assumption. If there's anyone trying to invade Ylisse's or one of our allies, Robin will need to know about it." I allow myself to smile smugly. "Of course, it's not like we have a newborn child to take care of, so there's no problem with her joining. Maybe I should tag along too."

"Rub it in, will you…" Chrom growls irritably. Then he turns to his wife. "Just promise me you'll return at the first sign of danger, Cordelia. Lissa and I had Emm of course, but we lost our parents when we were young." At the mention of their familiar connections (or lack thereof), both Emmeryn and Lissa grow somber. "I want Lucina to grow up with her whole family around her."

Cordelia nods. "I'll be careful. I promise."

"With your permission, I will ride ahead and assemble an escort, Your Grace." Frederick proposes.

Emmeryn nods with a small smile. "Thank you, Frederick. And make sure you take Phila with you."

The Falcon Knight in question straightens up. "At once, Your Grace. Very well, Frederick. Lead the way."


Robin looks up from a troop roster. "A summit? I see." The thick book closes with a dull thud. "Honestly, I'm happy for any reason to get out of this stuffy office for a while."

I raise an eyebrow. "Are you sure all this office work is good for you? You spend so much time sitting by a desk that I sometimes wonder if you have time for personal training or even relaxation."

"Well, there's always the time we spend together at night."

I give my wife a flat stare. "It's called "sleeping", Robin. It's not relaxation – it's a necessity."

"*Sigh* I understand that you're concerned about me, Jack, but I think you're overreacting."

"Need I remind you of that coffee incident six months ago? No offense, Robin, but someone needs to remind you to get out of your office every now and then before you start living in it. And as your husband, that responsibility primarily falls on me."

"While juggling your other duty?"

In response, I summon a clone. "Copies, remember? Heck, if I let a few of them observe your work, I may even provide you with some assistants."

Robin frowns. "You're not trying to take my work away from me, are you?"

I roll my eyes. "I know fully well how draining the role of head tactician of an entire country's army can be since I'm married to you. And that's before I consider that you try to keep up your own training as well as the social part of your life. I don't care if you resent me for it, Robin. I refuse to stand by idly while my wife works herself into the ground because she's too responsible for her own good."

Robin slumps back in her chair. "*Sigh* You might have a point. I have been feeling a bit tired lately, especially since Cordelia finally got back into Phila's tutelage and started managing troops of her own. The number of documents I have to manage every day just keeps growing."

I summon another clone. "Which brings me back to the assistants. Let my copies learn how you work. If they can give you at least a little relief, that's a decision well made."

I glance at my clones. "This is probably the most important purpose I have ever given you. I expect nothing less than you giving your all."

One of the clones nods sagely. "That goes without saying, Boss."

The other follows suit. "Anything for our bae."

Robin smiles at our interaction. "Thank you, Jack. I can't imagine how my life would be like without you."

My mind goes through the entire canon storyline. A smile grows on my face. "I think you'd do fine, except you'd probably have to make due on your own. On the plus side, you wouldn't have this crazy stud around to give you nearly as many headaches."

A sweatdrop forms on my wife's head. "Sometimes, I wonder what's really happening in that head of yours. And then I abandon the thought out of fear that I'd lose my mind if I found out."

Clone # 1 nods in agreement. "No argument there, love. Boss went through so much crazy stuff in the Outrealms, we're not sure how sane he is anymore."

Clone # 2 mimics the action. "If he was even sane to begin with."

I give my clones a flat stare. "Hey. You two basically share my mind. That would make you at least as crazy as me."

Clone # 1 grins back at me. "Exactly. Why else would we act the way we do, Boss?"

I open my mouth to answer, only to shake my head. "You know what, I don't even see the point with arguing with myself. Just stay here and help Robin sort through her documents. I'll make sure to pack for the both of us in preparation for the summit."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Don't you have your teammates to train?"

I grin back at her as I leave through the door. "You don't think these two are the only copies I summoned, did you?"

My wife shakes her head with a fond smile. "I still think you're the biggest life cheater in the world. And someday, I will pry the secret out of you."

"Nope, I'm taking that one with me to the grave." *Slam!*


The first day of travel towards Ferox goes without incident. Right now, we've made camp near the border between the two countries, because Phila refuses to have Emmeryn camp in the snowy climate further north.

Robin furrows her brow in concentration as she places her palm on the water surface inside the bucket. Then she raises her hand – slowly…gently…

The water sticks to the underside of her palm in an unstable bubble shape. Sweat runs down Robin's face as she takes a calming breath. The bubble shape stabilizes before she turns her palm upwards. She passes the water bubble back and forth between her hands a few times before taking it in both hands and twisting the water. In short order, she makes a cylinder, a cube, a prism, and lastly a pyramid before she returns to the sphere. Then she releases the water back in the bucket.

I pump my arms in celebration. "You did it! You finally mastered containment!"

"I couldn't have done it without you, Jack!" Robin replies smiling. "Thank you for teaching me so patiently."

"Oh, but we're not done yet. Now is when all your training comes together."

I spin up a Rasengan in my right hand. "Now that you've mastered all three steps, it's time to combine them into a single unit. And this time, there's no water – only mana."

Robin nods and takes a few deep breaths. "Okay. I can do this."

Robin furrows her brow in concentration again as she stretches out her right hand, palm up. Small streams of mana begin rotating around a focal point above her hand. It starts with a few, then becomes a dozen, and quickly grows until my wife has hundreds of thin mana streams rotating above her hand, all of them contained in a spherical shape. By this point, she grits her teeth to keep the concentration.

I nod in approval. "Good. Now to test how well it works." I point at a nearby boulder at least three times my size. "That boulder should make for a good practice target."

Robin nods and settles in a stance with the arm holding the mana sphere reared back. At an unseen signal, she sprints towards the rock and thrusts her hand forward.

"Rasengan!"

*Sshrr- Boom!*

The Rasengan carved a hole the size of Kellam's old armor in the boulder.

Robin gained "Rasengan"!

I run to my wife and scoop her up in a hug. "You did it! You finally learned the Rasengan! Your training has finally payed off!"

Robin smiles as she returns the hug. "Thank you so much for teaching me, Jack. You've been so patient with me, and now that patience finally bore fruit."

I grin at her. "I wouldn't have taught you if I didn't think you could make it. From this point, you'll practice on the Rasengan on your own, and I couldn't be prouder of you."

"I suppose that will have to wait until another time. All that practice has left me a bit tired, and it's almost time to retire for the evening."

I let my wife down on the ground and nod. "Yeah, sounds about right." I snap my fingers as a thought crosses my mind. "Say, do you remember what I told you when you mastered the second step?"

Robin raises an eyebrow. "You said quite a lot of stuff, mostly about how to perform the third step. You need to be more specific than that, Jack."

"I wanted to celebrate with you by holding you tight and kiss you silly." I waggle my eyebrows suggestively. "I never did it back then since we still weren't married, but now it's different."

Robin gives me a flat stare as we begin our walk back to the camp. "Jack, you've done that a number of times in the past whenever our nights together got, ah, very intimate."

I nod. "You know fully well that I'm the kind of person who expresses his affections physically. But I'd never do it if you don't want to. I refuse to violate my own wife."

"*Sigh* Oh, I know that bit too. You've made it very clear ever since our wedding."

"So?" I ask impatiently. "What's your answer?"

Robin rolls her eyes. "That you're almost insatiable when it comes to the two of us being alone. Though it has been a while and I feel a little nee- Mmmp!"

I'd say she wanted it as much as I did. My conclusion is further confirmed as Robin returns both the hug and the kiss with gusto. We come up for air about half a minute later, with both of us panting for breath.

"You didn't let me finish." Robin tells me exasperated after catching her breath.

"Didn't need to." I reply grinning. "Why else would you return the kiss?"

Robin's face heats up in a healthy blush before she hides it against my chest. "I swear, you'll be the death of me. Remind me why I married you again."

"Because you grew completely smitten with me within two weeks after we met." I answer cheerfully.

"If it wasn't for us marching, I would tell you two to get a room."

Robin and I turn to the side to see Maribelle approach us with a disapproving scowl.

"Honestly…" the Valkyrie huffs. "I understand that you love each other very much, but displaying you mutual affections so shamelessly in public is not proper behavior for soldiers, let alone military officers."

"Oh, lighten up, Maribelle." Ricken interjects as he arrives shortly after his wife. "I remember you being almost as touchy-feely during the first month after our wedding."

Maribelle's cheeks grow pink before she turns to the side with a huff. "That was due to marital bliss, Ricken! And because we happened to tend to our mounts in the stables very often. And…well…"

"You could just admit that you like getting up close and personal, you know?" the Dark Knight asks with a raised eyebrow.

Maribelle's left eye twitches a few times before she points her parasol at her husband.

"Fine, I love displaying my affection towards you, whether we're alone or in public! Happy?"

Ricken sighs. "Just don't want the pot to call the kettle black."

Maribelle blinks before she stomps off. Right as she passes Ricken, she grabs hold of his arm.

"You will not rest tonight until my ire is sated. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Ricken replies with a massive grin.

Robin and I blink a few times as the couple walks towards their tent.

"Wow… Never took those two for the passionate ones." I muse.

"You'd be surprised how often this happens." Robin replies. "Somehow, it's always the quiet ones."

I turn back to my wife with a grin that matches Ricken's. "Soo… Wanna follow their example?"

Robin shakes her head. "In all seriousness, now is not the time, Jack. I enjoy the nights when we join together naked, but those nights are too exhausting for me to enjoy at the moment. For all we know, trouble could await us behind the next corner."

"Oh, I wasn't planning for that." I reply and place my forehead against hers. My next words come out in a whisper "I did, however, plan for there to be lots of hugging, kissing and snuggling in our bedroll."

I can see the desire rising in my wife's eyes.

"That sounds acceptable." she whispers back before our lips join in another kiss. Next stop; our tent.


We managed to reach Flavia's residence the following day with daylight to spare. Part of the smooth trip was thanks to me having a pair of clones Transmute a clear path through the snow. I'm a big-time real-life cheater and I love it!

As soon as we reach the reigning khan's residence, Raimi greets us and guides us to Flavia's audience hall. The khan herself awaits us on the other side of the doors.

"I apologize for the delay, Khan Flavia." Emmeryn greets.

Flavia returns the greeting with an easy smile. "What matters is that you're here, Emmeryn."

Emmeryn nods. "Your guard captain told us that Valmese warships have set sail. What can you tell us?"

"Not more than that, I'm afraid." Flavia answers with a headshake. "The details remain hazy."

Flavia looks around with annoyance slowly growing on her face. "Just a moment… Oaf! Where are you, you big, bald- Emmeryn and Chrom just arrived with everyone!"

Basilio enters the audience hall from the left. Upon seeing us, he flashes a big grin.

"Ah! If it ain't the royal siblings. I knew you'd come. We have someone you should hear from. I believe you've met? He claims to have insight into Valm's intentions."

Basilio steps to the side. At the same time, Virion enters the audience hall from the same direction as Basilio, along with a pink-haired woman.


Cherche Lvl 29 Class: Wyvern Rider


Ah, Cherche. The lovely Wyvern Rider who's part family friendly housemaid/waifu and part closet yandere.

AN: No, seriously. Just check her C-support with Virion, her B-support with Vaike and her S-support (or entire support chain) with Stahl and tell me there's no yandere tendencies in there. Cherche can be down-right frightening if you push the wrong buttons.

Virion greets us with a flashy smirk. "Good day, lords and ladies. How fare you all? Allow me the great pleasure, and indeed honor, of introducing myself…"

"We all know who you are, Virion." Chrom tells the Bow Knight flatly. "Although I don't believe we've met your companion?"

"There you are!" Olivia shouts from behind us and grabs her husband. "When you told me you'd leave on a trip to handle personal matters, I expected you to return within the month." The Dancer glares at Virion accusingly. "Not only did you not return, now I see you in the company with another woman?! Explain, Virion! Now!"

Sweat runs down Virion's face. "O-Olivia, my dear! Please! Hear me out! There is a perfectly valid reason for my absence!"

Olivia lets go, but keeps her angry glare. And is that a dagger she's hiding in a sheath behind her back? Yikes! Girl must've taken assassination lessons from Gaius!

Virion corrects his cravat and clears his throat. "*Ahem* Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Prepare for my great unmasking!"

The Bow Knight strikes a grandiose pose (which results in everyone present developing a sweatdrop). "Long have I posed as the archest of archers! Yet that was but a ruse! Yea, an artifice, to disguise myself as a mere above-average man. In truth, I am-"

Cherche clears her throat. "*Ahem* May I present Duke Virion. I am his humble servant, Cherche. Greetings, Your Grace. You honor us with your presence."

Cherche's interruption makes Virion lose his posture and flail for a brief moment before he corrects himself. "Cherche, you stole my moment!"

Emmeryn returns Cherche's greeting with a benevolent smile (Don't kneel! Don't kneel! Don't kneel!). "A pleasure, Cherche. I believe you might be able to speak to us on your master's behalf?"

Cherche nods. "That may speed things along, yes…"

"Then please." Chrom encourages. "Time is of the essence."

Cherche curtsies. "Very well, then. First, concerning our origins. We hail from Rosanne, a fertile territory on the continent of Valm. Milord is the head of house Virion, and the rightful ruler of Rosanne." Cherche smiles. "A fact he often reminds us of – and loudly."

"Ha! Is she not of true wit?" Virion interjects proudly. "She gets it all from me, you know."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "So what brings a noble and his charge all the way across the long sea?"

"The valmese." Virion answers with sudden seriousness. "Theirs was an unremarkable nation once. Tiny, almost pitifully so. Had our continent not shared its name, you might almost have forgotten it existed. And so Valm might have remained, if not for Walhart the Conqueror. One by one, he has taken the surrounding realms into his growing empire. I had no choice but to ru-" He corrects himself at the last moment with a smirk. "Er, that is, to RECRUIT new allies to aid my people. That's why I've come."

I glance at Cherche. "Let me guess; he ran like a yellow-bellied chicken."

The Wyvern Rider nods. "More or less, yes." The answer has Virion slump forward in shock – not that it stops Cherche from continuing. "While milord hastily gathered his valuables and guided his people out to safety, I alone remained to keep an eye on the Valmese crisis." A pained grimace grows on her face. "I was there as Rosanne was swallowed up by Emperor Walhart's overwhelming forces. In the end, I, too, fled here to Regna Ferox seeking asylum."

"To my great relief, I might add!" Virion interjects happily. "Eligible women are one of Rosanne's most treasured national resources! It would be a shame to waste any, even one who cuts off her lord an ma-"

Cherche turns to Virion with a smile and a twitching eyebrow. "*Ahem!* As I was saying…"

Virion immediately raises his hands in a placating gesture. "Yes, yes, all right, it was only a jape!" Cherche's unchanged expression makes his own grow gradually more fearful. "Please, by all means, you may con-"

Cherche concludes without missing a beat. "So, begging your pardons, but perhaps it is time to cut this long story short: Walhart has conquered out continent and now seeks to conquer yours."

Cherche's final words hang like an ominous warning over our heads. As I've already played through the main campaign several times, I know that she means every word. But it is only now that I can see her in real life that I can see the subtle fear behind her otherwise calm visage. What in the world did she witness when Walhart conquered Rosanne?

Basilio steps back up. "She claims the Valmese fleet will be at our shores in a matter of days. We'll know soon enough if her story proves true."

"I speak only what I know for true, good people." Cherche reassures us. Then she frowns. "As does my lord. …At least with respect to this matter."

Virion flinches at the verbal jab. "There's that wit of yours again! Aha! That wonderful…needling, chafing wit."

Emmeryn exchanges a few whispers with Chrom before she nods. "I believe you are both telling the truth." Then she turns to Basilio. "Khan Basilio, it would seem prudent that you fortify your ports quickly."

"You should know that Valm has the strongest cavalry in the world." Virion adds.

"Considering we have Frederick, I beg to differ." I interject flatly (to the Great Knight's pleasure, if his subtle smile is anything to go by).

Virion shakes his head. "While I do not doubt sir Frederick's strength and skill, he is only one man – far too meager in the face of the valmese's overwhelming numbers. In fact, you will want to station plenty of troops with experience fighting mounted troops."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "Why, Virion, are you volunteering?"

Before the Bow Knight can answer, Olivia grabs his arm with enough force to make him wince. "Why of course he is, isn't that right, dear?"

"Y-yes, of course." Virion answers with a pained grimace.

Guess the number of whipped male Shepherds has grown to two.


"You're not joining us, Jack?" Robin asks confused as everyone gets ready to leave for Port Ferox.

I nod. "I'm going back to Ylisstol and getting my team. If there's a Valmese warship coming to this continent, we'll need reinforcements."

"But Ylisstol is at least a full day's travel from here." Chrom reminds me. "Will you even arrive in Port Ferox on time if you head for Ylisstol now?"

I give my companions a smile. "I have my ways. Trust me." I summon a clone. "Robin, this copy of me will accompany you until we reunite."

The clone grins as he hears that. A quick transformation later, he climbs up on Robin's shoulder as a squirrel. "I get to cuddle with our bae?! Score! *Squeak!*"

I lift my transformed clone by my grip around his head and give him a cold glare. "Your duty is making sure Robin stays safe while I gather the team and return to her side ASAP. If you spot an enemy, you attack. If someone badmouths her, you attack. If some sleaze tries to get fresh with her, YOU ATTACK! Do I make myself clear?"

"Ow ow ow! Hey, it's not like you can punish me, even if I cuddle with her." my clone squeaks back.

My eyes flash yellow. "I could always call upon a certain someone to help me with that little problem."

My clone looks at me in horror. "H-hold on now, Boss. You wouldn't seriously ask him, would you? That dude's even crazier than you! If he gets going, your mind's gonna take a blow!"

"That goes to show how serious I am." I reply. "You have your orders. Protect Robin at any cost."

"…You got it, Boss." the clone squeaks before I place him back on Robin's shoulder.

"Who was that person you two were talking about?" my wife asks me.

"He's an ally that I met during my travels." I explain. "While not the most…mentally sound person, he's a big help when I need him. Hopefully, I won't need to call on his help. Dealing with him tends to give me a serious headache."

Chrom rubs his chin. "While this certainly lets you accompany us, in a manner of speaking, the problem still remains on how you'll get to Port Ferox from Ylisstol fast enough."

I give the prince a grin. "Like I said, I have my ways."

One Mimicry powered transformation later, I stand before my allies as a pegasus.

"See you soon." I tell them before I take off with wind magic pushing my wings. With Meditation active, I could keep this mode of transportation up pretty much indefinitely, so long as I pace myself on the wind magic. But right now, I'm on a tight schedule, so I speed up and head for Ylisstol as fast as I can.


I arrive at the capital some eight hours later. After some watching from the sky, I dive straight towards the courtyard where Lon'qu is overseeing team training.

Everyone is notably shocked upon seeing a wild pegasus land in the middle of the courtyard. That is, until I undo the transformation.

"Listen up, team. We've got a potential enemy heading towards our allies in Regna Ferox. Our allies, the Shepherds, have already gone ahead with Khan Flavia and her strongest troops to intercept them. We're to head to Port Ferox as fast as we can and help them, should a battle break out. Gear up for battle, and gather outside the capital immediately. Any questions?"

"Uh, just one, Captain." one of our Priests, Andy, asks. "How will we get there? If I remember correctly, Port Ferox is a long way from here."

I nod at Andy's question. "I've got it covered. Just make sure you're ready to move out, Andy." I turn to the rest of my teammates. "That goes for all of you. And Eagle? Try to keep your gryphon calm this time."

Eagle, our resident Gryphon Rider, nods with a sour expression and heads for the stables to retrieve his trusty, if somewhat hyperactive, mount. How Andy ended up forming a friendly rivalry with him, of all people, is beyond me. For crying out loud, their roles in this team are entirely different!

Every member of the Wonderful 101 soon gathers at the appointed place, only to find a circle of clones outside the gate. The circle is easily big enough to fit everyone on the team, including their mounts.

Edea, one of our Myrmidons, scratches her head. "Um, so how exactly do we get to Port Ferox again, Captain?"

"Everyone stand in the circle." I order my team. By the time everyone is in there, I place myself at the front with Lon'qu at my side.

"Lon'qu, you know the fastest way to Port Ferox, don't you?" I ask my lieutenant.

The Swordmaster nods. "I've lived in Ferox for years and I have visited the port many times. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'll need directions along the way." I reply before I gaze at my clones. "All right, let's do this. Commence Operation "Soil transport"."

"Yes, Boss!" my clones shout in unison before they sit down and slap their hands on the ground. Sparks course over the ground within the circle before a platform of earth with everyone standing on top rises up.

"Whoa! What the-"

"I didn't know our captain could do all of this!"

"You're telling me he can transform into animals, slice training swords in two with another training sword, copy himself, and now he knows earth magic?! This is getting ridiculous!"

I slap my own hand on the platform and transmute seats made of packed dirt behind everyone. "Have a seat, guys. This ride might take a while." Then I turn back to Lon'qu. "All right, just point us in the right direction, Lon'qu."

Lon'qu looks at all the transmuted earth in as much surprise as everyone else before he shakes his head. "I'm not even going to ask. Anyway, Port Ferox is that way." He points towards what I think is northwest. Course decided, I nod.

"Men! Full speed ahead!"

"Aye, Captain!" my clones shout, with their hands still pressed against the platform. Said platform soon moves along the ground, leaving undisturbed ground in its wake. The moving platform picks up speed a few seconds in. We soon reach a speed that could rival a horse in full gallop, and we're only going faster.

The ingenuity, if I may say so myself, with this mode of transportation is that I can transport just about anything over any distance in record time, so long as I know where to go. And MP won't even be a problem for me, since the strain of transportation through constant Transmutation of the earth under my feet is instead divided among my summoned clones. With Meditation at max, the MP they regenerate is still higher than the MP they expend when Transmuting the earth, which means we can go just about anywhere on this continent with this platform.

Shadow clones plus Alchemic transmutation may well be among my most overpowered skills in terms of sheer utility. I am AWESOME! And I'm not apologizing for having OP skills.

While we literally cover ground at record pace, I take a moment to study Lon'qu closer. Much to my surprise, I see two swords hanging from his hips – one on each side.

"I didn't know you bring two swords with you to a fight nowadays." I tell him with a raised eyebrow.

Lon'qu follows my gaze before he nods. "While you were away traveling, I felt that I reached a wall in my quest to master the sword. While trying to find an answer, I found myself thinking back on how I've seen you fight. That's when I remembered that you often fought with one weapon in each hand. While stiff and unrefined at first, you showed remarkable prowess in wielding two weapons at the same time. I tried my hand at the same a few weeks before you returned. It's taken a lot of work, but I'm now confident in wielding two swords at once in battle."

A quick Observe tells me that Lon'qu hasn't just gained the Dual wielding skill, he's increased it to an impressive level 52. I whistle impressed at my partner's dedication.

AN: One of the most confusing things I've seen in Awakening is the Swordmaster's sprite. On the map, the Swordmaster is clearly seen wielding two swords at the same time. In battle, those swords are shown being worn on the hip. Despite this fact, the Swordmaster only ever uses the weapon he/she is equipped with on their item menu. And if they're unarmed, the two swords still stay in their scabbards, despite the map sprite showing that they're clearly in good condition. Seriously, that just looks weird.


Timeskip: A few days later

POV: General

The massive warship that arrived about half an hour ago has drawn a large crowd. Among the gathered people are the Shepherds, as well as the khans with around a hundred Feroxi soldiers. The docks near the warship are blocked off by Valmese Knights forming a parameter. Other troops from the empire steadily spread out within the area, almost like they own the place.

Chrom scowls at the gathered army. "I don't like this one bit. Emm, you'd better stand back."

The exalt shakes her head. "No, Chrom. If I back down now, what kind of message would that send to our people? Fear could spread quickly, and that will lead to rash decisions being made."

"We will deal with something worse than fear if it gets violent here." Chrom replies while fingering Falchion's hilt.

Any further conversation grinds to a halt as the mayor of the port town manages to board the Valmese warship. Dalton, the Valmese Paladin commanding the ship, looks anything but pleased.

"You dare board our ship, worm? I will not discuss terms with a peasant; I will issue demands to all!"

Dalton turns to the gathered crowd. "Citizens! Soldiers! Hear my words! The Conqueror himself, Emperor Walhart, claims dominion over these lands! You will grant your new emperor your ships! You will grant him all your provender! You will grant him your loyalty and your every possession! And you will surrender this land's greatest treasure, the Fire Emblem! Do this, and your lives will be spared. Resist, and your lives are forfeit! Now, kneel! And swear fealty to the mighty Valmese Empire!"

For every word that the Valmese commander speaks, tension rises among the Shepherds. Phila in particular clenches her lance until her knuckles turn white.

"How dare he…" the Falcon Knight growls. "The sheer audacity alone is grounds enough to execute this cur where he stands."

It's only the gentle hand of Emmeryn placed on her shoulder that stills Phila's anger.

"Calm yourself, Phila." Emmeryn tells her friend quietly. "While I disapprove of his manners, I believe we can reach an understanding, if only we can speak eye to eye."

The exalt steps forward and out from the crowd, to the shock of everyone gathered.

"She can't be serious!" Lissa exclaims. "Didn't she hear what that man said?! He's almost as bad as Gangrel!"

"Soldiers of Valm!" Emmeryn calls out to the Valmese troops. "I am Emmeryn, exalt of the halidom of Ylisse. I come in peace. I believe we can reach an understanding if we can speak among each other as equals. Please, let me on board the ship, so we may talk."

Dalton directs his gaze towards Emmeryn. "So, you are Exalt Emmeryn. This simplifies matters. Come aboard our ship and return with us to Valm. Surrender your halidom and all within it. Then there will be no blood shed as our emperor ascends his new throne. However, if so much as a child speaks up against this, no ylissean will be left alive! Now, come."

"How dare you make demands on my sister?!" Chrom roars as he stomps forward with Falchion drawn. "If you believe we will give in to those demands without a fight, you're mistaken! Leave, or I will personally throw you out!"

"You should know your place, boy!" Dalton snarls back. "Clearly, you need an example to understand how hopelessly outmatched you are here."

Looking around, the Paladin remembers the mayor standing no less than three paces from him.

Dalton turns to the mayor. "You'll do for now." the Paladin says indifferently.

Without warning, the Valmese commander impales the mayor on his spear and kills him on the spot. Then he lifts his spear, with the dead mayor still impaled on it, and holds it over the railing for all to see. Horrified gasps and outraged cries spread among the crowd.

"This is the fate that awaits anyone who opposes the empire of Valm in any way." the Paladin declares. "If you wish to be spared this fate, surrender now. This is your final warning!"

Chrom growls. "Emm, stand back. We'll take care of these brutes. Everyone, prepare to engage!"

The Shepherds raise their weapons and get ready for battle. The Feroxi soldiers follow suit right after, as does the Valmese side. The townspeople recognize the danger and flee the port as fast as they can, barricading themselves in their houses or otherwise seeking whatever shelter they can find.

"Well, that escalated quickly…" Jack's clone muses from Robin's shoulder.

Robin glances at the clone-turned-squirrel while she draws her Levin Sword in one hand and prepares an Arcthunder tome in her other.

"This battle could span over the entire port town. I hope Jack arrives soon. We haven't even started yet, and I can already tell that we're outnumbered. Hopefully, we can match their quantity with quality."

"Boss will be here, Robin." the clone squeaks. "Count on it. If it's not for his home, he'll do anything for your sake." The squirrel clone narrows his eyes. "As will I. I may go on Boss's orders, but you mean as much to me as you mean to him. I'll pounce on anyone stupid enough to even look at you funny."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "You sound reckless, even by Jack's standards."

The clone shrugs. "Meh. The worst they can do to me is destroy my body. It's not like I technically die or anything. So if only one of us survive this battle, it better be you over me."

Robin smiles and lightly rubs her cheek against the squirrel's. "Thank you. You may not technically be my husband, but I already find myself caring for you as if you were him. I'll miss you."

"W-well, it's not like you have to stop caring." the clone replies with a small blush. "Everything I experience, Boss experiences. But I appreciate the gesture. At least I can go, knowing I'm loved by the woman who means the most to me."

Emmeryn looks at Chrom apprehensive. "Chrom, please. These lands have only now begun to truly heal from our last war. Are you so eager to start another one?"

The prince shakes his head. "Emm, we've been over this ever since the war against Plegia. Peace is something we should all strive for, but there will always be those who refuse to listen to reason. If they won't accept your offer of peace, I will become the blade that will cut them down." A scowl forms on Chrom's face. "We must stand against evil, in all its forms, or there can be no peace!"

At that moment, Cherche steps forward with her wyvern in tow. "Might I join, sire? This may not be my country, but it is my cause." A cheerful (if slightly menacing) smile grows on her lips. "My dear Minerva here hungers for a bite of the action as well!"

As if on cue, the wyvern screeches at the Valmese soldiers, ready to charge at the first command from her mistress.

Phila gently grabs hold of Emmeryn's shoulder. "This way, Your Grace. Let Prince Chrom and the other soldiers handle this."

Emmeryn complies with a sigh. "So much for a peaceful talk… Please, Chrom, try to end this without wrecking half the town again."

"That was ONE TIME!" the prince shouts exasperated.

BGM: Battle 1, Octopath Traveler music

"Chrom! Hop on!" Cordelia shouts as she urges her pegasus forward.

Chrom nods and jumps on the winged mount with practiced ease. A pair of Knights aim their Javelins skyward to shoot Cordelia out of the sky-

"Here!" *Fwoom!*

-only for them to briefly vanish in a stream of mana powered flames. The armored soldiers collapse on the ground a moment later, burnt to a crisp.

Miriel adjusts her glasses just as the flames of her Arcfire spell end. "Imbeciles."

A Cavalier tries to flank her. A few paces from the Sage, his horse suddenly stops and rears back on its rear hooves startled.

"Back off!" Kellam shouts – though he's only noticed by his wife and the scared mount. Miriel, in turn, charges wind mana in her free hand. Her glasses glimmer just before she casts her spell.

"Rebarbative fool!"

The Elwind spell hits the Cavalier full force, sending him off his horse and straight into a wall. He slumps down against the stone surface and lies completely still.

Stahl rides past the fallen Cavalier to challenge a trio of Knights blocking the street ahead. The Knights brace themselves, but are caught off-guard as Panne jumps up from behind the green Great Knight and shapeshifts in mid-air. The taguel lands on the head on one of the Knights, kicks off a moment later and tackles him from behind. The other two Knights ready their lances to skewer Panne, but forget Stahl in the process.

"And one from me!" *Ka-Bram!*

The Knights find themselves on the receiving end of Stahl's Armorslayer and scatter like flies from the heavy blow.

Panne rests on her haunches and gives her husband an approving nod.

"I owe you a debt."

Stahl waves it off. "Nah. That's all part of being married."

Gaius and Tharja double team a Paladin a trio of Cavaliers. Tharja opens hostilities with a Flux spell. The discharge of dark magic startles the horses, giving Gaius an opening to rush in with his Killing Edge and slice open the neck of one of the Cavaliers. The Paladin retaliates with a sweep of his Silver Lance, only to miss as Gaius jumps over the swing and lands on the polearm. The Assassin smirks before he punches the Paladin right in the face and then jumps off the Silver Lance, just in time for the Paladin to get a face full of Nosferatu, courtesy of Tharja.

Gaius lands right beside his wife. Without a word, Gaius pulls out his new Iron Bow and shoots an arrow a hair's breadth from his wife's head-

*Thunk!* "Guagh!"

-and nails the second Cavalier with a perfectly aimed headshot.

"I can handle myself." Tharja growls disapprovingly.

Gaius smirks. "Sure you can…"

Tharja responds by raising her hand and blasts an Elthunder spell that flies right past Gaius's head, and reduces the third Cavalier to a twitching, dying heap on the ground, horse and all.

"Satisfied?" Tharja asks in a bored tone.

Gaius shrugs and pops another lollipop in his mouth. "Sweet."

An eyebrow on Tharja's brow twitches, as she can't determine whether her husband is referring to her or the candy in his month.

Virion rides along the cobblestone while having an archery duel with a Valmese Bow Knight. Neither can get a decisive hit in due to mutual experience of combating each other's strengths. A Mercenary steps out from a group of crates in front of Innes, making the proud horse hesitate in his running, and consequently gives the enemy Bow Knight an opening for sniping a fatal hit on Virion.

Right as he lets go of his arrow, it's sliced out of the air by a perfectly timed slash by Olivia. The Bow Knight looks at the Dancer in shock before he sneers and draws his Steel Sword. Try as he might, though, he can't get a hit in as Olivia literally dances around his strikes.

"Enough already!" the Valmese soldier shouts and prepares to run Olivia over with his horse.

"Allow me!" *Clang!*

The Bow Knight recoils in shock as Virion enters the fray with his own Iron Sword.

Meanwhile, the Mercenary from before tries to sneak up on the dueling Bow Knights and stab Virion in the back. His plan gets foiled as Olivia places herself in between with her sword at the ready. The Mercenary grins and rushes at the Dancer, believing her to be an easy target. Those thoughts get disproven immediately as Olivia fends off his assault with fencing moves that flow into each other with delicate grace. Even as she battles with the Mercenary, Olivia weaves her dancing into her movements. One glance of his wife is all Virion needs to feel its invigorating effects. His opponent rides in for another strike, only for Virion to parry the sword with his own and knock the Valmese soldier off-balance in the same move. A few deft movements later, Virion has his bow trained on the staggered enemy.

"Au revior!" *Thunk!*

The arrow pierces the enemy Bow Knight's chest and kills him before he can even fall off his horse.

At the same time, Olivia puts all her focus on felling her own opponent. The Mercenary parries a stab from her and retaliates with a two-handed horizontal swing. Olivia bends backwards and makes the blade sail right above her face. As she comes back up, she brings her own sword down on the Mercenary.

*Clang!*

The two combatants lock their blades in a power struggle – or so the Mercenary thinks. While only pushing with her right hand, Olivia reaches behind her back with her left, draws the dagger hidden in her Dancer's outfit and jams it in the Mercenary's throat. Before he can comprehend what happened, Olivia pushes the Mercenary's sword aside and stabs her own sword in his heart. Olivia pulls the two blades out and flicks the blood off them as she turns around, letting the now dead Mercenary fall to the ground.

Virion claps at the magnificent display of skill from his wife, which results in her shrinking into herself slightly with a blush on her face, but nonetheless smiling.

"I need to thank Gaius for those fencing lessons." Olivia declares happily. "I never knew I could implement my dances in such a way."

High above the battlefield, Cordelia takes stock of the situation with Chrom sitting right behind her.

"That should be a good landing spot." Chrom tells his wife and points at a group of Knights making a circular formation in an effort to stop Frederick from helping Sumia fend off a Paladin.

"Shall I clear the way?" Cordelia asks.

Chrom nods. "On my mark, Cordelia."

Cordelia commands her pegasus over the tightly packed Knights and rears back Gradivus. Gusts surround the legendary spear as Cordelia channels wind magic through it. Right as she gets in position, Chrom jumps off her pegasus and dives straight for the Valmese formation.

Cordelia chucks her spear right in the middle of the Knights.

"Hah!" *Boom!*

The wind enchantment propels Gradivus even faster and makes it hit the ground with a powerful shockwave that breaks the Knights' formation. Chrom lands on the open space a second later.

"My turn!" *Shing!*

Unable to regain their balance in time, the Knights find themselves on the receiving end of Chrom's furious swordplay.

"My thanks, milord!" Frederick shouts before he rides to Sumia's aid.

Sumia weaves back and forth while clashing lances with the Paladin. Both riders are at a stalemate, unable to gain the upper hand.

"Now, while she's distracted!" one of three Cavaliers signals as they try to flank the Dark Flier.

Frederick scowls as he reads the maneuver. "I think not." *Ka-bram!*

The hapless Cavaliers fly off the ground and off their horses as Frederick barrels into them with the force of a freight train. Thinking fast, the Great Knight grabs the Steel Lance of one of the fallen Cavaliers and throws it at the enemy Paladin.

*Thunk!*

Both Sumia and the Paladin widen their eyes in shock at the unexpected intrusion (for different reasons). Sumia capitalizes on the opening given and backs away her pegasus while she pulls out her new Thunder tome.

"For Ylisse!" *Kzrr-Brzzt!*

The lightning spell hits right on the Steel Lance and conducts the electricity straight into the Paladin, frying him from the inside out.

Sumia turns to her husband with a smile. "Oh, thank you, Frederick."

Frederick returns the smile with his own. "It was my pleasure."

A pair of Feroxi Fighters are locked in combat with a Valmese Valkyrie and a pair of Mages. With both numbers and range in their favor, the Valmese seize the tide of the battle and launch spell after spell on their Feroxi adversaries.

Seeing her allies in trouble, Cherche swoops in with her Steel Axe raised. "Allow me!"

Her attack run brings her right on top of the Mages. One gets slashed across his gut while the other loses his head. The Valkyrie growls at the interfering Wyvern Rider and blasts her with an Elwind spell. Minerva swerves to the right, but still gets clipped by the wind spell on her wing tip. The glancing blow sends the wyvern off-balance and into a dive while Cherche holds on for dear life. The Valkyrie grins triumphantly and readies another wind spell to finish Cherche off, when she hears something else approaching from the sky.

"I gotcha!"

Nowi dives at the Valyrie at breakneck speeds with Donnel riding on her back – and with an Imposing Axe poised for swinging.

"YEE-HAW!" *Shing!*

The Ylissean Fighter cleaves the valmese in two with a mighty swing before he jumps off his wife. Nowi then flips in the air and incinerates the wounded Mage with a ball of dragon fire.

"Yes!"

Cherche manages to land Minerva safely on the ground and inspects the wing tip with a sigh.

"Ah, how sloppy of me…"

"Don't worry. We'll cover for you." Nowi, now reverted back into human form, encourages the Wyvern Rider.

Over by the docks, Gregor dives behind a crate and manages to dodge a pair of arrows by a hair's breadth.

"This really not Gregor's day." the Hero mutters. He lost his trusty Steel Sword barely a minute back and now finds himself unarmed. With the need for a weapon on the spot, Gregor starts to look through an open crate in the hopes of finding something functional. Anything will do, really.

"Aha!"

Gregor looks to the side and sees a Knight rushing at him with the lance poised to run the Hero through. With no time to lose, Gregor grabs hold of the first solid object he could dig out from the crate of knickknacks – a Frying pan. He blinks at the object a few times before he shrugs.

"If Jack can, Gregor can too."

The Knight thrusts his lance forward, only to have it parried by Gregor's newly acquired Frying pan. It quickly devolves into a clash of pan against lance as Gregor finds himself in the bizarre moment of fending off a trained soldier with a cooking implement.

"This still not strangest thing Gregor has ever been doing." the Hero muses for himself before he bats the Knight's lance aside. Seeing an opening when it presents itself, Gregor pushes the Knight off-balance and raises the Frying Pan.

"Gregor smash!" *Wham!*

The Knight's helmet dents from the impact. The Knight himself stumbles backwards a few groggy steps before he falls unconscious on his back.

Gregor shoulders the Frying pan with a proud grin. "Heh heh!"

His victory is short-lived, however, as more Knights enter from a nearby alley. At the same time, Lissa jumps down from a roof with Betty raised to intercept.

"Hee-YAH!" *WHAM!*

The massive war hammer sends one of the Knights flying into the water. The other Knight takes a step back, carefully regarding the not-so-delicate War Cleric.

"Lissa, behind you!" Maribelle shouts as she enters the docks.

Lissa heeds her best friend's warning and spots an arrow sailing straight towards her. She tries to dodge, which saved her life, as the arrow hit her shoulder instead of her neck.

"Agh!"

Lissa holds her bleeding shoulder in pain and loses her grip on Betty in the process. Maribelle stares at her wounded friend in horror before her eyes get clouded in fury. She scans the battlefield and quickly identifies the culprit; the Bow Knights that were chasing Gregor are still on the move and aim to snipe Lissa down instead.

Maribelle pulls out a wind-element tome and channels mana through the pages, making them flutter in the resulting wind.

"I will ruin you!" the blonde Valkyrie declares coldly.

Maribelle's wind spell not only knocks the arrows out of the air, it also encircles the confused Bow Knights and traps them in a vortex fueled by Maribelle's mana. Maribelle herself turns to her husband right as he catches up to her.

"Ricken!"

"I've got this!"

Ricken pulls out his own tome and launches an Elfire spell at Maribelle's wind wall. The fire spell ignites the wind spell and turns the howling entrapment into a swirling inferno that burns the Bow Knights charcoal black.

Maribelle turns back to her best friend. "Lissa, darling! Are you all right?!"

"She will be fine." Libra assures her, having just arrived on the scene himself and immediately administers field aid on the princess. "We will need to pull out that arrow quickly, Princess Lissa."

Lissa looks at the arrow lodged in her shoulder and winces. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

Libra nods. "It always does. But unless we remove the arrow now, the wound could get infected. I advise you try to stay quiet, as we do not want to attract any enemies to this place right now."

"And how do you expect me to accomplish that while you pull this thing out!?" Lissa protests.

Maribelle pulls off her left glove and presents her index finger to Lissa.

"Bite down, darling. It should help muffle the scream."

Lissa raises an eyebrow at Maribelle's suggestion before she shrugs and places her teeth on the manicured appendage.

Libra gently grabs hold of the arrow. "Ready?"

At Lissa nodding, Libra pulls out the arrow in one swift move. The pain makes Lissa bite down on Maribelle's finger hard, which makes Maribelle shout in pain. Libra quickly casts a healing spell on Lissa's wounded shoulder (and a minor one on Maribelle's finger).

"Was that truly necessary, Maribelle?" the War Monk asks Maribelle flatly.

"Anything…for my darling Lissa." the Valkyrie grinds out through grit teeth as her finger heals under Libra's spell.

Lissa smiles with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Careful, Maribelle. People might get ideas if you continue to act like this around me. You're married to Ricken now, you know."

Maribelle's face heats up. "I did NOT insinuate that we are secretly lovers!"

The War Cleric turns away with a smug grin. "Sure you didn't…"

"LISSA!"

The Knight from earlier, who saw his comrade get smashed into the water by a delicate looking War Cleric (Why did that thought make him feel uneasy?) looked in brief shock at said War Cleric banter with her allies. Deciding to take an opening when he sees one, he charges the trio of healers with his Beastslayer.

*Krang!* "Not this time!"

The Knight gets knocked back form a brutal swing of Vaike's Steel Axe. The Ylissean Barbarian shoulders his weapon with a grin and makes a come-hither motion with his free hand. The Valmese soldier takes a step back and regards the situation before he charges his new adversary.

What he doesn't consider is the fact that Vaike's muscles are not merely for show. With surprising agility, Vaike parries the Knight's thrust, grabs hold of the Beastslayer and kicks the armored soldier right in the chest. The Knight drops his weapon from the unexpected impact as he falls to the ground. The last thing he sees is the axe blade of Vaike's weapon descending on his head.

*Krang!*

Vaike pulls up his axe after he smashed it right through his opponent's helmet. Looking around, he notices Sully struggling against a Bow Knight. The main reason for the struggle is the notable lack of a weapon in Sully's hands. A quick glance to the left reveals Sully's Silver Lance stuck in a bag of wheat, and her opponent refuses to let her retrieve the polearm. For what it's worth, Sully manages to hold up well with pure reflexes and a handy shield. However, with no weapon in hand, she has no means of retaliating.

Vaike rubs his chin before he looks at the Beastslayer that he snatched from the Knight less than a minute ago. The proverbial candle lights up above his head.

"Sully! Catch!"

Sully spares a glance to the left and notices her husband throw a Beastslayer her way. The Ylissean Paladin maneuvers her horse through the arrow barrage until the red polearm lands safely in her right hand. Armed with a new weapon, Sully grins as she turns back to the Bow Knight and rears back her arm.

"So long, chump!"

Sully roars as she throws the Beastslayer right at the surprised Bow Knight. The polearm flies with so much power that it not only hits him on the throat, but also drags him off his horse and pins him against a wall behind him. Before he can begin to pry off the polearm around his throat, he notices Vaike jump in with his axe poised to strike.

"Learn you lesson!" *Shink!*

The Steel Axe sinks into the valmese's lightly armored chest. He coughs out some blood before he goes still.

Sully approaches her husband with her Silver Lance back in her hand.

"Sorry." She mutters in slight shame over committing a rookie mistake.

Vaike waves it off. "Don't sweat it, Sully. We all make mistakes."

Sully smirks at her husband. "Yeah. You more than me."

"Hey!"

Robin blocks a Steel Lance and backflips over a horizontal swing before she drops an Elthunder spell on the Cavalier attacking her.

"Duck!" the squirrel clone on her shoulder squeaks.

Robin heeds his warning. An arrow sails over her head half a second later. Robin turns to where the arrow came from and spots a Bow Knight trying to flank her. A glance to the other side shows a Great Knight storming in to crush her with his Hammer while she's pinned down.

"I'll take care of the big guy. You can focus on that Bow Knight." the clone suggests.

Robin narrows her eyes in focus and tenses her legs. "Let's go."

The Grandmaster sprints towards the Bow Knight. Sparks dance along her Levin Sword as she counters the arrows with lightning bolts. At the same time, the squirrel clone jumps off her shoulder and sails straight towards the Great Knight.

*Poof!* "Peekaboo!"

The clone grins as he brings down his cloned Harvest Moon on the startled Valmese officer.

*Clang!*

Harvest Moon meets Hammer in a weapon lock before Jack's clone flips back and replaces the great sword on his back. The cloned Reaper makes a come-hither motion at the Great Knight. The Valmese soldier answers the challenge and kicks his horse into motion, aiming to crush his adversary under the mount's hoof. Jack's clone rushes to meet the Great Knight head-on, only to side-step a few paces before contact and jump for a spin kick aimed at the Great Knight's head.

*Krang!*

The Great Knight blocks the kick with his shield and rears back the Hammer to strike Jack's clone out of the air. Thinking fast, the clone pushes himself upwards with Gale Step and lands on the horse behind the Great Knight.

"Trace on."

A dagger appears in the clone's hand. Then he sends another kick at the Great Knight's head and knocks off his helmet. Before the Valmese soldier can retaliate, Jack's clone grabs hold of his chin, lifts it up and slits open his throat before he jumps off the horse. The Great Knight falls off and bleeds out on the ground seconds later.

The clone dispels the Traced dagger. "Enjoy your afterlife."

Robin struggles to keep up with her opponent, mainly due to his superior mobility on horseback.

"Either I'm too slow at ranged combat, or this one is much faster than the rest of the Valmese army." the Grandmaster mutters. No matter what she throws at him, the valmese keeps dodging her attacks. Robin scans her surrounding while keeping an eye on her adversary. An idea forms in her head when she spots a few barrels. She dives behind them, just as the Bow Knight fires another pair of arrows. The Bow Knight narrows his eyes and nocks another arrow on his bow, ready to shoot the Grandmaster the moment she leaves cover.

His eye catches movement on the left side of the barrels. He lets the arrow fly – only to notice too late that the only thing he hit was Robin's coat. The Grandmaster herself runs out of cover from the other side of the barrels and launches a wind spell right at the horse's hooves. The sudden increase in wind pressure startles the mare and causes it to rear up on its hind legs. The Bow Knight tries to calm his mount down. His efforts are for naught, however, as Robin lunges at him with a sky-blue sphere in her right hand.

"Rasengan!" *Shr-Boom!*

The spiraling sphere of compressed mana hits the Bow Knight square in the chest and launches him straight into a pile of crates. Said pile explodes in a shower of splinters and various goods upon impact, leaving an unmoving Valmese soldier in the middle of the mess.

Robin picks up her coat off the ground and sighs upon seeing the hole made from the arrow. "I hope someone can patch this up. I think Emmeryn would get upset if she found out this coat didn't even last its first battle."

"How are you holding up, Robin?" Jack's clone asks as he approaches her.

"I'm fine, Jack. It's just…" The Grandmaster scowls as she looks towards the docks. Even though the Shepherds have the upper hand, the Valmese side still has plenty of troops. "…I don't see any end of these Valmese soldiers."

The clone follows her line of sight and grits his teeth. "These guys just keep crawling out of the woodworks. What do these guys think this is? A war of attrition?"

Robin shakes her head. "Regardless of what they think this as, they have us outnumbered. At this rate, they will outlast us." Robin turns to Jack's clone. "Where's Jack? I thought he said he'll bring his own troops."

The clone nods. "Boss wouldn't promise you anything that he can't keep. He'll come. You'll see."

"*Sigh* Here's to hoping he arrives soon, though. We're getting split up. I can't formulate a good strategy if everyone's scattered."

The Grandmaster draws her Levin Sword anew and narrows her eyes at the next wave of incoming Valmese soldiers. "Make sure Jack learns of our situation here."

The clone shoots Robin a worried glance. "Are you sure you can handle those guys on your own before he arrives?"

Robin gives him a smile. "I'll be fine. You just focus on getting that message to Jack as fast as you can."

The clone looks like he wants to protest before he nods. "All right. I'll let Boss know. And Robin? It was great while it lasted."

*Poof!*

BGM Ends


POV: Jack

Quest alert:
Main quest: Seacomers
True to Cherche's warnings, the Valmese army has arrived. They only have one goal in mind; conquer the entire continent and cut down anyone who opposes them. Get in the fray, and show those imperials that they messed with the wrong continent!
Objective: Defeat all Valmese soldiers
Rewards: 12 000 EXP, 12 000 gold
Failure: With no one to oppose them, Ylisse and Regna Ferox fall under the Conqueror's rule. It's the end of life as you knew it – assuming you even survive this battle.


After I received the memories of the clone that I left with Robin, I can conclude what I've always known; Valmese imperials are jerks. Seriously, these guys just bust into Port Ferox and strut around like they own the place. Not to mention the fact that their commander is a straight-up bully. There are a lot of things that I admire about Walhart, but I hold little to none of that admiration to many of his followers.

The Feroxi port town had been visible in the distance for some time by the time my clone popped. The situation urged my other clones to speed up the moving platform. As fast as we go, though, the battle will probably already be decided by the time we arrive, even at the increased pace. Looks like I need to get a little more…drastic.

"Halt!" I shout to my clones. They comply, albeit with confusion and great reluctance.

"What gives, Boss?" one of the clones asks. "You know just as well as the rest of us what's going on over there. You need to get to that battlefield ASAP."

"I know." I reply. "But we're too slow this way." I grin with a gleam in my eye. "Boys. Prepare Operation "Beacon initiation"."

The clones look at me in surprise before they nod with matching grins. While they prepare their task, I address my team.

"Team! Prepare your landing strategies! We're going into Port Ferox with style!"

"Um… Captain?" one of our Archers asks uneasy.

"Yes, Pit?"

"We never practiced anything called "landing strategies" during our training. Why do we even need it?"

"Boss, calculations are complete." a clone reports. "We'll launch at the agreed signal. T-minus: 15 seconds."

I nod. "Excellent."

Lon'qu scowls at me. "I'm not sure what you're planning, Jack, but I can already tell it's a bad idea."

I wave off my lieutenant's concerns. "Relax, Lon'qu. I know what I'm doing. Trust me."

"It's because you're asking me to trust you that I have a hard time doing it."

"10…9…"

"So, uh… What's this whole "landing strategy" thing?" Pit, asks.

I shrug. "Just think of something that won't have you kiss the ground at very high speeds."

Lon'qu grabs hold of my shoulder. "Jack, whatever it is you're doing, DON'T do it!"

"3…2…"

I grin at the Swordmaster. "Too late."

"Launch."

All my clones slap the ground at the same time and channel a massive amount of mana into the platform. Half a second later, the ground becomes a launchpad by heaving at an angle and sends us flying straight towards Port Ferox.

"Woo!"

"AAAH!"

"D-mn it, Jack!"

"I never learned how to reeead!"

As calculated by my clones, we're flying straight towards the plaza at Port Ferox. As we approach the ground at breakneck speeds, my clones and I dump as much MP as we can afford into Telekinesis to slow down our descent to more manageable speeds and flip ourselves to land feetfirst.

"Brace for impact!" I shout to my teammates.

My clones pop a moment before we land. 101 three-point landings herald our arrival on the battlefield.

"Jack?!" I hear Chrom shout.

I turn to the prince and give him a mock salute. "The wonderful 101 under the command of Captain Jack, reporting for duty, Prince Chrom."

"Did they just fall out of the sky?" a Valmese soldier asks flabbergasted. "What in blazes is up with this continent?"

I turn back to the opposite side of the battlefield and narrow my eyes.

"No need to fill me in on the situation, Chrom." I tell the prince. "I already know all I need to know through the copy I left with Robin."

The won-stoppable Wonderful 101 (English version), The Wonderful 101 OST

I raise my voice to address my teammates. "Team, diplomacy has failed! Our only option left is to repel these intruders with force. Everyone prepare for combat. Team! Unite up!"

"Yes, Captain!" my teammates shout in unison.

We charge the Valmese side with our formation tight. Our enemies buckle down on the front. I jump ahead with a mana sphere in hand.

"Rasengan!" *Boom!*

My opening blow tears a hole in their front, giving my teammates the opening to strike. Lon'qu leads the rest of the team right into the fray.

Heh. I'm impressed at how far my team's progressed over the past year. I take the greatest pride in that they've grown together to truly fight as one unit, while still remaining distinct and true to themselves.

"Steady… And, charge!"

Olaf, a veteran General from Ferox who moved to Ylisse after witnessing our exploits during our battle against Mustafa. His experience and charisma were instrumental in bringing the team together. Old as he may be, the dude's still got strength in spades to keep up with the rest of us, partially thanks to his strict training in the Feroxi snow.

"They're still busy recovering! Let's hit 'em where it hurts!"

Max, a young Fighter with brawns to match Vaike's and a Hammer to match his physique. Anytime we need a heavy hitter, he's always there to deliver well and beyond.

"Ha ha! These guys break way too easily!"

Sigh. Introducing Lash, a Dark Mage who's equal parts brilliant and sadistic. She's got a surprising knack for battlefield tactics, having given input on the fly during the few battles our team have taken part in during our training. But Naga forbid the day she and Tharja meet.

"Let's get this over with, already. I wanna hit the nearest tavern so I can get something to drink!"

Ah, Jackal. One of our Thieves, and an edgy one, at that. Guiding him into the fold was one of the greatest challenges I had to tackle when training my team. But what he lacks in social preference, he's more than made up with through intel gathering and the odd trinkets that he's stolen (which resulted in some serious scolding from my part and reluctant apologizing from him upon returning the stolen items). And he's always thirsty for some reason.

"We're gaining ground on them!" I shout. "Push them to the docks!"

Easier said than done, though. I'm honestly impressed with how fast the Valmese Knights manage to regroup and form defensive formations in the streets.

"I've got this!" *Shing!*

It's at times like these that I'm glad we have Ven. While he's just mastered the basics of swordplay, he's already become an accomplished Myrmidon. That kid moves really fast when he wants to. So fast, in fact, that he manages to sneak right behind the Knights, attack them from the rear and break their formation.

"Wassup now!" *Ka-bram!*

The crack in their defenses blows wide open thanks to Jake, one of our Cavaliers. While originally a humble nomad from the plains, he's become a valued comrade in the team and an expert in tearing through defensive lines, so long as he can find an opening.

"These fools are hardly worth the effort. Well, an enemy easily defeated is a coin safely earned."

And then there's Khint, a traveling Mercenary who Gaius happened upon during a bar fight. The candy loving Assassin managed to convince Khint to lend his services to the team. While I had to dig into my pockets at first, Khint's become attached to us. A good thing too, since I've seen him combine his swordplay with spells imbued in his sword, allowing him to attack on two fronts at the same time.

The combined assault from our team members eventually tears down the barrier of Knights. However, our celebration is cut short as a squad of cavalry is waiting right behind them. Needless to say, Ven hightailed it back to us the moments he realized he had two dozen lances almost poking him in the face.

I take a step back myself upon seeing the mounted units. "Tighten the formation! We need to stand firm, or else they'll run over us!"

My teammates react quickly and gather in a square formation with our tankiest members in the front. As the cavalry begins to charge, I slap my hand on the ground and Transmute the cobblestone. Stone spikes jut out from the ground around us, startling the horses and hindering the Valmese advance.

"Grit! Gather your buddies and get on the roofs. We need cover fire!" I shout to as I Transmute a pathway to the top of the nearby buildings.

"Ya got it, Cap."

Grit's quite possibly our top Sniper, having shown enough precision to give Robin Hood a run for his money. Part of that comes from the guy being completely unflappable, no matter what happens. The Sniper runs along the stone path and lets the arrows fly, taking out the cavalry from the outside. His backup follows just a step behind.

"Artemia…hunt!"

Artemia, a young girl who grew up in the wilderness. Her skills with the bow stem from learning to survive more than anything. Not only is she an accurate shot, she's frighteningly good at knowing where to aim and where it hurts, making her a deadly Assassin. On the other hand, her verbal skills leave a lot to be desired.

The combined archery assault on top of our own counterattack on the ground manages to drive the Valmese cavalry back until we finally reach open space again at the docks.

"Cyrus! Now!" I shout.

"My focus is unparalleled!"

Dozens of spell circles appear in the air and rain arcane destruction over the Valmese side. With their forces in disarray, we mainly just need to clean up the rest before they can regroup. All of it thanks to Cyrus, our resident Sage.

Cyrus usually spends his time teaching at a school or conducting research as one of Miriel's scholar colleagues. So imagine my surprise when he one day volunteered after hearing that I was in the process of recruiting team members. Though I won't complain. Cyrus is highly knowledgeable, and that knowledge translates into him being a spellcasting powerhouse.

As I take a good look on my assembled team fresh from their first victory in a war, pride wells up within me. We seized victory because we pushed each other to this high a level together. They're the greatest team I could've ever asked for.

BGM ends

"Jack!"

I turn around to find the Shepherds catch up to us, along with the Feroxi soldiers led by the khans.

I smile at my wife. "See? I told you I'd arrive on time."

Robin shakes her head with an exasperated smile. "Did you have to cut it so close? Fighting those Valmese soldiers was no easy task. But for what it's worth…" Robin walks up and hugs me. "…Thank you. You arrived in the nick of time."

"You might want to hold off on that celebration until later, Robin." Flavia warns us. "There's more where those valmese came from. No matter how much we strike these Valmese soldiers down, they always get more reinforcements."

I scowl as I already notice more valmese pouring out onto the docks. They all come from that massive warship of theirs. Seriously, that thing looks big enough to easily fit hundreds of soldiers. For all the ones we've defeated since the first clash, the valmese could easily have over twice as many in reserve. At this rate, they'll overwhelm us with sheer numbers.

That means we have to cut off their reinforcements before they can regain any ground, and I know how.

I walk towards the docked warship. "Everyone make sure to contain the Valmese soldiers here in the docks. I'll take care of that ship."

"Are you serious?!" Chrom asks incredulous. "Jack, look at the size of that thing! How do you plan on fighting all the soldiers on board on your own?"

I turn to the prince with a smirk. "Who said I'll fight them?"

Winds whip up around my feet as I lift off the ground. I can hear everyone gasp in shock at seeing me actually fly. But that's just the beginning.

I move in the air until I'm facing the ship's bow. I draw Harvest Moon, shift it into its scythe form, and start accelerating towards the ship. As I draw closer, my mind goes back to when I trained with Sora and Riku on the Destiny Islands.


AN: Shout-out to ShadowPhoenix34: This one's for you, m'lady!

BGM: Rules of nature (Platinum mix), Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance OST

Flaskback

*Bram!*

The boulder in front of me crashes on the ground loudly after it split in two.

"You did it!" Sora shouts triumphant and glomps me from behind.

"Heh. All thanks to yours and Riku's guidance, Sora." I reply. As I manage to pry the exuberant keyblade wielder off of me, I take a look at my Windcleaver. Not a single nick on the blade.

"I admit, that was impressive." Riku comments. "Just a week of training, and you already have the technique down. Far faster than Sora got it."

"Oh, stuff it, Riku!" Sora huffs."Not everyone can learn stuff almost instantly, okay?"

"Yeah, I know." Riku replies nonchalant. Then he smirks. "It's just you who's really slow."

"Hey!"

"Knock it off, you two." Kairi tells her childhood friends. "So, I guess this means you're leaving soon, doesn't it, Jack?"

I nod. "Yeah. I had a great time here, but I need to keep traveling and learn new things. I'm on a tight schedule."

"It's okay." Sora replies with his hands behind his head. "We had a great time with you too."

"Though you might want to know a few things about this technique." Riku adds. "For starters, it requires razor sharp focus to use properly. If your concentration slips even the least, you could fail easily."

Sora nods. "Yeah. Also, focusing should be easier if you shout out the name of the technique."

Kairi gives Sora a flat look. "Really, Sora? You've been reading too much of those foreign comic books again, haven't you?"

"It's called manga, Kairi! And I'll have you know that it works! Anyway, keep that in mind next time you decide to use it." Sora grins. "Remember, the name of this technique is…"

Flashback ends


"ZANTETSUKEN!"

*SHING!*

Time seemingly slows to a crawl as the massive warship splits in half vertically. I fly between the two halves, idly noting Valmese soldiers either cleaved along with their ship or in absolute shock over what happened.

I zip past the cleaved ship. Moments later, the water bounds back and crashes the two ship halves together with enough force to smash them into pieces. Any soldier who survived my slash will most likely drown in the water.

You have leveled up! You have leveled up!

I fly higher up and scan the port town. Let's see… There! I notice the Valmese commander run through the streets with seemingly no other direction in mind, other than escaping. I fly in that direction and soon hover above him as he finds himself at a dead end.

*Thump*

I land right behind Dalton and point Harvest Moon at him, while also blocking his only escape route.

"You get one chance to surrender. Comply, and we'll let you go after you tell us what we need. You don't want to know what will happen if you refuse."

The Valmese Paladin backs away. "You think I will surrender?!" he shouts defiantly. "Never! The Valmese empire is the greatest nation in the world. We never surrender – we triumph!"

A nice try, but I can tell that his bravado is false, considering how much he's shaking.

I shrug and indicate behind him. "Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Against better judgement, Dalton looks behind him. The red glowing eyes of Panne's bunny form stare him down from the shadows.

"I smell you fear."

I'm pretty sure half the port town can hear his screams.

BGM ends


Panne and I soon reunite with the others, with Dalton's dead body slung over Panne's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The taguel dumps the corpse unceremoniously on the ground.

"He refused to surrender, so I dealt with him accordingly." the taguel explains before she walks off to find Stahl.

I walk up to my team with a proud grin. "You did great for your first battle against an enemy army. Excellent job, team!" I'm met with silence and awed stares. "Uh… Team? What's the matter?"

"Mind…blown…" Elliot mutters dumbly.

"Alright, what the h-ll was that, Jack?!" Basilio shouts as he approaches me.

I turn and face the bald khan. "Hm? What was what now?"

"Don't play dumb with me, boy!" Basilio points to the wrecked warship that I cleaved a few minutes earlier. "We all saw you cleave a massive warship in half! How did you even do that?!"

I shrug and rub the back of my head. "I trained – very hard. That's the simplest explanation I can give."

Basilio looks at me dumbfounded before he pinches the bridge of his nose. "I've trained longer than you've lived, and I struggle with trying to cleave a rock without smashing it. What kind of training regimen did you go through to be able to do that?"

I grin. "The one that involves the stuff of legends."

The bald khan blinks a few more times before he throws his arms up in the air. "You know what, I give up! There's no sense in trying to figure you out!"

"That's what we learned months ago, Khan Basilio." Lon'qu comments. "Simply put, Jack's the most confusing person any of us have ever met in our lives. We gave up on trying to figure him out a few weeks after he formed our team. Nowadays, we generally try to go with the flow."

The rest of my team nods sagely. Lon'qu rubs his temples.

"That being said, there are still moments when we think we have him figured out. Whenever we reach that point, Jack does something completely unexpected that flips everything we thought we knew about him on its head. We really should've learned after the first few times."

My team nods sagely again.

"For example, Jack, you never told us that you can fly. Or that you can cleave a massive warship in half – along the broadside."

I shrug. "Well, I already kind of explained the whole cleave-a-ship-in-half thing, but the flying part is a bit easier."

I demonstrate by lifting off the ground a bit. "I channel wind magic through my soles. The more mana I use, the harder the wind pushes off my feet. That allows me to fly. Though, while it sounds simple, I had to practice for a long time before I could fly properly without crashing into everything jutting out of the ground. That was one of the more painful moments during my training."

Basilio rubs the top of his head. "Kids these days think up the craziest stuff. I'd better step up my game if I want to keep up with you sprogs."

You gained a new title! You gained "Ship cleaver"!

"Chrom, is that all of them?" Robin asks as she regards Dalton's dead body.

The prince nods. "Yes, but victory's come at a price…"

"The town is in shambles, as is my army." Basilio laments.

And for good reason too. A lot of the Feroxi soldiers who joined us in the last battle are either injured or dead. As for the town, several buildings have holes in the walls from reckless fighting or errant spells. Some buildings even collapsed after they took too much punishment.

Frederick frowns as he scans the injured soldiers receiving treatment. "This is most troubling news. Feroxi soldiers are the finest east of the long sea. If they are having trouble, we are ALL in trouble."

"That's not the half of it." Flavia comments. "This was just the vanguard – but a taste of the meal yet to come."

Basilio sighs tiredly. "And once it arrives, their host will wash over the whole continent in weeks. There's no way we could repel them and defend our people. It would be a slaughter.

Chrom joins in on the sighing. "Ylisse is no better equipped to handle an attack from the sea… Robin, what do you suggest?"

Robin rubs her chin. "Hm… Their greatest strength is their cavalry, which puts us at a disadvantage…" A spark lights up in her eyes. "…on land. But if we were to catch them at sea…"

I scratch my head. "Wait… You're suggesting we go for naval warfare?"

"But how?!" Chrom asks. "Ylisse has no warships, nor does Ferox."

"So we'd need aid from a kingdom that does…" Basilio concludes.

Flavia raises an eyebrow. "You have someplace in mind, oaf?"

"Perhaps a land that borders the sea, with enough wealth to afford this campaign?"

Robin snaps her fingers. "Plegia!"

Chrom looks anything but happy with that. "No. Absolutely not. Out of the question."

"Chrom, be reasonable." I ask the prince. "We're short on options as is right now. The last thing we want is to exclude the few we have left when a new war is right on our doorstep." I sigh as I rub my head. "Look, I understand that your opinion of Plegia is low, considering what they've done to your family for over a decade, but you can't just reject a potential alliance that could save your home simply based on a grudge."

Basilio nods. "He's right. Think about it; They have gold, boy! Countless ships! And more importantly, we have a fart's chance in the wind without them."

"The oaf is right." Flavia adds. "Crude, but right. There's only one path forward."

"To be fair, this decision isn't even up to you, Chrom." Robin reminds the prince. "Emmeryn has the final say."

Chrom scowls before he sighs. "I know… Come on. Let's find Emm and relay what we've discussed."


Emmeryn nods after hearing everything that transpired. "I see… Allying ourselves with Plegia does indeed seem like the only way."

Chrom rubs his temples. "Please, Emm. Please tell me there's another way we haven't considered yet."

The exalt shakes her head. "Chrom, that would be the same as expecting divine intervention at this point. While I am reluctant in asking Plegia for help, I truly see no other way." Then she turns to Phila. "Phila, send a messenger and request a summit immediately."

"Yes, Your Grace." The Falcon Knight bows before she sets off in search for a messenger.

Emmeryn sighs. "Hopefully their new king is more reasonable than their last."

Robin nods. "That's what we all hope for, Your Grace."

Flavia approaches me and my wife with a smile. "You know, I'm impressed with you two. For your first time against Valmese forces, that was an impressive victory. Robin, your strategies to counter their cavalry using the town's layout made fighting them much easier than if we stuck to normal tactics. And Jack… I can't deny I'm a bit envious of how well you've trained those subordinates of yours-"

"Teammates, Khan Flavia." I interject. "We're not just some military unit led by a commander – we work together as a team where all are equal. I just direct the others. That's how I trained them."

Flavia raises an eyebrow before he shrugs. "Alright, teammates it is, then. Well, as I was saying, you two and Chrom have grown quite adept since I last saw you. You should be proud – all of you."


Quest alert:
Main quest: Seacomers
Congratulations on your first victory against Valmese soldiers! Celebrations aside, the hard-earned victory speaks volumes about the impending threat of the Conqueror and his empire. If you even want to stand a chance, you'll need to draw on every resource available – even if it means forming an alliance with a former enemy. Isn't it convenient that Plegia accepts the request?
Objective: Defeat all Valmese soldiers.
Objective cleared!
Rewards: You gain 12 000 EXP! You gain 12 000 gold!


Timeskip: A few days later

While waiting for the response from Plegia, we all decided to be productive and help rebuild the port town to at least a workable condition. Between the Shepherds, available Feroxi soldiers, my team and a few dozen Shadow clones, progress was smooth.

I'm currently at the town's square with Robin and the royal siblings, surveying the reconstruction work taking place. Most of the damaged buildings have had their walls repaired, and shops that were forced to close due to property damage are back up and running again even as we put the finishing touches on the repair work. All in all, Port Ferox is slowly coming back to life.

The sound of flapping wings brings our attention skyward. Phila's just returned.

"Your Grace, we have word from Plegia." the Falcon Knight reports. "They have agreed to meet with us at their outpost on Carrion Isle." Phila scowls. "A poor venue should things go south, as the island's name makes plain. However, we do not seem to have much of a choice."

Emmeryn nods with a neutral expression. "Thank you, Phila. And, poor venue or not, we will head there regardless. The alliance, and our survival in this war, depends on it. But, thank you for your vigilance, as always."

"It's not like they have much of a choice themselves." Chrom comments. "This threat hangs over all of us – Plegia as well. They must see that."

Emmeryn nods in agreement. "Considering their position at sea, they should be well aware of the danger. My hope is that this alliance can help mend some of the old wounds that have festered in both our countries over the years." The exalt rubs her temples. "Though I wish it wouldn't take a war for us to band together like this…"

While Emmeryn muses over potential peace talks with a former enemy, I need to make preparations of my own. While I would much prefer to bring my entire team to Carrion Isle (knowing the moves Validar and Aversa will pull on us), bringing a hundred soldiers to a summit could easily raise tensions between both sides. Loath as I am to admit it, my team will do a lot more good by staying here.

With that in mind, I call the Dark Knight of our team to me through bird clone.

"Hawke, I'm putting you in charge of the team while I accompany Her Grace to the summit. Make sure everyone pulls their weight in helping to rebuild this town to its former glory. And if you finish before you receive word from me, just keep up the usual training."

The stoic Dark Knight nods. "Understood, Captain."

Robin raises an eyebrow as she sees Hawke walk off. "Care to explain why both the captain and the second-in-command are accompanying us to this summit?"

I nod. "In my case, it's to represent a major faction in the Ylissean forces. If we want this alliance to become reality, we need to show that we're reliable as allies. I figured that would include giving a small demonstration of the military might Ylisse has at their disposal. As for my lieutenant…"

My mind wanders back to yesterday when a clone spied Lon'qu speaking with Cherche. He didn't even flinch during the conversation – not for Cherche, and not for Minerva – not even once. "…I think he's got a companion to guide."

Robin frowns. "You're hiding something from me, aren't you, Jack?"

I raise my hands in placation. "It's for the good of us all, honest."

Robin crosses her arms with a pout before she sighs (and tries to blow away a strand of hair in front of her face). "I suppose I'll just have to take your word for it. Now to prepare for the journey to the summit…"

"No need." I reply smiling.

Two Shadow clones appear in twin puffs of smoke. The clones give a mock salute.

"Preparations for a trip for two coming right up. Destination: one creepy isle."

I roll my eyes and shoo my clones away.

"My clones have that covered – unless they try to pull something crazy again."

Robin giggles and leans to my side. "I knew I married the right man."

I smile as I place an arm around her waist. "And I knew I married the right woman."

I silently challenge all otakus out there who are of different opinion; My wife is best girl. Fight me!

To be continued


Preview of the next chapter:

*Validar walks down a dark corridor*

Validar: Ah, it is an honor to meet you, Exalt Emmeryn.

Chrom: Wait, isn't that-

Robin: Yeah, that's definitely him. The assassin from two years ago.

Chrom: Then what's he doing here?

Aversa: I believe you have more important matters to whisper about?

*Risen surround the Ylissean camp*

Risen: Braaaiiinnss…

Chrom: Risen AGAIN?!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

Shady island deal! The omen that hides in plain sight.

Henry: Nya ha ha! You're about to have a bad time!

Shepherds: Not funny!


Omake: Supply and demand

Maribelle is on the verge of snapping her parasol in half as she regards the destroyed building in front of her.

"Those…brutes! Savages! Troglodytes! How dare they ruin what little good is still in the world?! I'll make them understand just what it is they have done. Better yet, I will kill them. I will kill them all…"

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "What's got Twinkles's smallclothes in a knot?"

Ricken sighs. "The valmese ended up destroying Maribelle's favorite tea shop in the battle."

The Assassin shrugs. "So they wrecked one tea shop. What's the big deal? It's just some dried leaves that you put in hot water, right?"

That earns him the tip of Maribelle's parasol almost poking him in the face.

"Do NOT belittle the noble marvel that is tea in my presence, Gaius." the Valkyrie warns him coldly. "And I'll have you know that this tea shop is very special. It's the only shop on this continent that imports dragon jade tea from the land of Chon'Sin! Ordering just one tin takes at least two full months before I can pick it up!"

While Ricken tries to console his wife over being denied her favorite tea, Gaius shakes his head.

"I knew she likes tea, but this seems a bit obsessive."

Tharja raises an eyebrow and points at another destroyed building. "Wasn't that your favorite candy shop?"

Gaius follows the direction of her finger, only to gasp at seeing the source of his favorite candy razed to the ground.

Two seconds later, he joins Maribelle in chanting "I will kill them… I will kill them all."

Tharja sighs. "Why did we end up marrying weirdos?"

Ricken gives the Sorcerer a flat look. "Pot, meet kettle."


New skills:

Zantetsuken, Lvl 20 [21 %], Active, Cost: 270 MP
Literally means "Iron cutting sword". This legendary sword technique was originally only known to the mounted summon creature, Odin the Reaver. By focusing the full strength into a single motion, you unleash a swing that can cleave through almost anything. However, if your focus relents even the slightest, this move loses a lot of its potency. Performing this technique is the mark of a true master of the blade.
Base damage: 600 % of the caster's STR. Element: None. This skill has an innate 30 % critical hit rate. Instantly kills an enemy if a vital point is hit.

Air shoes, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: Varies
Give gravity the finger. This combination of Telekinesis, Mana soles and Wind mastery allows the caster to expel air currents from the soles of their feet and lift off the ground. The more mana the caster puts into this skill, the stronger the wind current and the stronger the acceleration.
Element: Wind


Jack's encyclopedic corner:

Ship cleaver, Title
The mere sight of your blade gleaming in the sunlight strikes terror in the hearts of sailors everywhere. Those who believe your prowess to be a mere rumor will be silenced the moment you swing at a sea-faring vessel and split it in two. Just make sure you have a way of staying above water. Currents around a split ship tend to be chaotic.
Increases damage dealt to any vehicle by 30 %.

Swordmaster, Class
A paragon of swordplay, these masters of the blade engage their opponents with razor sharp focus. Every swing of their sword is the result of countless months of practice. These warriors, more than anyone, embody the phrase of dancing with their swords. One opening is all they need to cut down their adversaries in the blink of an eye. Yet, for all their swift movements and deadly precision, Swordmasters possess little resilience and raw strength. They prefer to end their battles quickly over drawn-out battles, making them ill-suited for battlefield defense.
Attack power, attack speed and accuracy increase by 15 % when attacking with a sword. Passively increases DEX by 10 %. Attack power and attack speed lowers by 5 % when attacking with any other melee weapon or magic of any element. Damage taken from physical attacks increases by 5 %.

Beastkiller, Polearm, Base damage: 57, Rare
A lance specifically designed to combat cavalry. The pointed end of this weapon splits in two parts, each one jagged on the inside. The result is a U-shape resembling the maw of a beast clamping down on the throat of anyone who finds themselves trapped within. Mounted troops often move so quickly that a single thrust from this weapon can tear open their throats and wound them fatally. The unconventional design makes Beastkillers difficult to forge unless a specialized weaponsmith is called in. As a result, they are typically reserved exclusively for combatting mounted opposition.
Deals 300 % damage against mounted units.

Wyvern Rider, Class
A warrior who rides into battle on a wyvern. The natural strength and resilience of their winged mounts give these fighters a natural advantage in those aspects as well, in addition to the many advantages of flying. However, like all reptiles, wyverns tend to be susceptible to magic, especially of the wind variety.
Attack power and attack speed increase by 10 % when attacking with an axe or a blunt weapon. Damage dealt from magic of any element is reduced by 10 %. Damage taken from physical attacks is reduced by 10 %. Damage taken from magic of any element increases by 10 %. This unit counts both as a flier and draconic creature.


Rules of nature goes with everything – including fanfiction!

The Reaper's scythe claims its first victim, and that victim is a warship! We also see Jack's team in action for the first time. I hope their performance was up to your expectations. As for now, the following games/franchises are represented in this team: Advance Wars, The Wonderful 101, Bravely Default, Octopath Traveler and Kid Icarus. Will there be more? Not sure about that yet…

The meetings in this chapter demonstrate one of the big consequences of preventing Emmeryn's sacrifice. Because she remains the exalt of Ylisse, she's also the one who remains the main recipient in diplomatic meetings. As such, Chrom has less opportunities to learn the ins and outs of diplomacy compared to the canon story, where he had to learn that as Ylisse's new ruler. I hope to demonstrate this by portraying Chrom as a bit more impulsive and brash than as he usually is during the Valm campaign.

Also, please note that Jack's challenge at the end is exclusively from his side. I have no intention of starting another waifu war. That stuff is way too messy.

Until next time. Please rate and review. VipeR out.