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

Before we get to anything else, I am proud to announce that this story has reached a great milestone; it has gained 1 000 followers. Seeing this four-digit number on the screen fills me with a sense of pride I never expected to feel when I first started writing this fic back in 2018. Yet here we are, almost a ear and a half later, with a story that's not even halfway finished, yet has already gained more recognition than I had hoped for. And for that, I say to you all:

Thank you. Thank you all for the support, reviews, and what else you may have done. This is a moment that I share with all of you, because this story wouldn't have become what it is today without you all. For that, I lift my hat off for you as I continue on my path in life, and in writing.

And with that said, the time has finally come for the Ylissean league to set foot on Valm. It's only going to get crazier from here.

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

Liberty is a fine word, aye, but not always enough to rouse men from foolishness. – Say'ri


Chapter 24

Valm ho!
The resistance hangs by a thread!

You have slept in a bed! HP and MP have been fully restored! All negative status conditions have been removed!

I open my eyes to the gentle rocking of the ship we're sailing to Valm. I take in my surroundings. Nope. Nothing significant seems out of place or has changed since I fell asleep last night. Good. That means I can take my time and just enjoy the comfortable silence in our cabin.

More importantly, I notice Robin still asleep. The adorable part is that she's hugging me like I'm a giant plush toy, all while snoring so subtly that you'd probably miss it unless you're as close to her as I am right now. Small wonder she's still asleep. Not only does she have to manage a whole army with half as many ships to fit everyone on, she and Anna were busy long after sundown organizing all the supplies that the townspeople were more than happy to provide us with after they learned we got rid of their local outlaw problem. Even with an assistant to share the workload with, Robin's duties still take a lot out of her. She needs all the sleep she can get.

Also, it's about five in the morning according to my built-in clock. I think it's appropriate to let her sleep in peace for a few more hours. It's not like we're about to run into some random enemy fleet any time soon. And even if we do, I'll just go Demyx on the poor fools.

So while I wait for my wife to wake up, I could simply take the time to enjoy the warmth of her embrace and the slow rocking of the ship.

I give up after about a minute. As beautiful as my wife is, and she has no equal on that front (clearly not marital bias), even I can only look at her sleeping face for so long until I simply get bored out of my skull. If I want to look at her face, I want her to look back.

"You know… You could just wake her up with a kiss and get steamy from that point." Sparrow suggests.

"Not happening." I reply immediately. "Admit it; you just want a free show again."

Sparrow snorts. "Of course I do. Do you have any idea how boring it is just watching you watch your wife like you're some lovesick puppy? She's your wife, for crying out loud! Enjoy your life together!"

"I'll have you know I already do. You just lack a proper grasp on human inhibition."

"Can't deny that. Seriously, you humans let your annoying inhibitions get in the way all the time. No wonder there's so many of you who don't feel satisfied with their lot in life. If you don't like your current life, then change it, you moron!"

I roll my eyes. "Look, I'm not about to have a conversation with you of all living existences about human desires and inhibitions. I'm heading out on deck. Might get some practice in before breakfast."

"And how do you plan on doing that while your beloved clings to you like a child to its plush toy?"

I smirk. "Observe."

I make a clone beside the bed. We share a nod before I slowly lift myself to a sitting position. Gotta move carefully, lest I wake Robin.

My clone takes hold of Robin's wrists and pries them off as gently as he can. When the gap in her embrace is large enough, I wiggle my way out and crawl off the bed. At the same time, my clone crawls over me and takes my place. Robin only has time to frown in her sleep for a moment before she's allowed to hug the closest object she can find again, which happens to be my clone. With my clone in place, he then leans back down and pulls the covers back over himself and my wife. And now for the final touch.

*Poof*

The smoke cloud disperses to reveal that my clone has Mimicked a giant teddy bear. The sudden change in body shape jolts Robin a bit.

My wife groans and frowns at the sudden shift. Both my clone and I hold our breaths. This is by far the riskiest part of our plan. Come on, Robin… Just stay asleep. You need every moment of rest you can get, honey.

Robin pats around on the soft, chubby body of my teddy-clone before she hugs it even tighter and snuggles her face into the crook of its neck with a satisfied sigh. Her soft snoring returns seconds later.

I let out a sigh of relief. I originally planned on simply leaving a clone in my place so Robin wouldn't have to sleep and wake up alone. The part where he transforms into a giant teddy bear was mostly a spur-of-the-moment thing that turned out a lot better than I thought it would.

In fact… Why stop at just one stuffed animal?

A few puffs of smoke later, I have half a dozen clones Mimic stuffed animals of various kinds, though these ones are closer to the usual size meant for children. Then I pick the plushie-clones and place them around Robin and my clone.

There. Now my beloved wife sleeps among an assortment of stuffed animals while cuddling the biggest one in her sleep. I'd gush over how freakin' adorable this looks if it wouldn't risk waking her. Instead, I reel my impulse in and exit the cabin as silently as I can.


Ah, the air at sea feels quite refreshing after I spent a whole night inside a cabin. Modern ventilation technology is still far away in this world, so the air inside was pretty stuffy by the time I woke up. A big breath of fresh morning air is just what I needed to get started on this day.

And that's when I notice Severa lean over the railing and looking out over the ocean.

"Severa? You're up early." I remark.

Severa turns my way with a surprised look before her features soften. "Oh, it's just you, Jack-sensei."

I lean my back against the railing and glance out over the sunrise. "I'm surprised to find you on deck at this hour. Last time I checked, you prefer at least another hour of sleep."

Severa gives me a sour look. "And how do you know that? Did I actually have a point when I called you a stalker?"

I give my student a flat look. "It's kind of hard to miss when your sister tries to get you out of your bedroll, and you protest loud enough that half the camp could hear it – provided they're already awake. Doesn't help that my tent is just a few spaces away from yours."

A blush grows on Severa's cheeks before she turns away with a huff. "Well, excuse me for needing my beauty sleep. Do you have any idea how fast you get wrinkles if you don't sleep enough? I've had enough of that before we traveled back in time, thank you very much."

"Are you seriously that concerned about your looks?"

Severa glares at me. "Like you could understand! Boys have it so easy, not having to think about their looks all the time. If you walk around with messy hair and ratty clothes, people just assume you had a bad day. But if a girl is in the same spot? People start guessing all kinds of things about her, no matter how crazy they are. And before sunset, there's at least three rumors about her that have spread across the whole town."

I pause to think about it. Huh. She's got a point. Snarky attitude aside, Severa's a lot sharper than some people may think.

I raise a hand. "All right, I'll give you that much. Gotta admit, I never thought of it that way. And honestly, I probably wouldn't care, even if I was aware."

Severa raises an eyebrow. "Why? Because you're a man?"

I shake my head. "Because that would mean you're trying to impress the wrong people, Severa."

The redhead blinks before she frowns at me. "Explain."

I look back out over the ocean. "It's quite simple when you stop to think about it. How much does your appearance even say about you? Say that I do walk around with messy hair and ratty clothes. People may assume whatever they want about me, but the only way for them to really find out why I would walk around like that in public is if they took the time to ask me directly instead of spreading wacky gossip that may not even be true."

"Still doesn't stop said gossip from spreading like a plague." Severa points out.

"Nor does it matter for the people who truly care for you – which also happens to be the people who truly matter to you as well." I counter. "They are the people who actually try to understand you. They are the people who try to dig beneath the surface to see who you really are. They are the ones who can see beyond the messy hair and ratty clothes. And they are the ones who learn what an absolutely horrible day you've had before they met you." I look back at Severa. "Those are the people you want to impress, Severa, because they can see your true worth."

Severa blinks before she puts her hand to her forehead and shakes her head. "*Sigh* It's been so long since you last took the time to lecture me. I've forgotten what it's like, hearing when you share what you know."

"You mean I did more than just train you in how to fight?"

"You did more than that for all of us, Sensei. You were never satisfied with just instructing us in fighting. You took your time to sit down with each and every one of us and got to know us."

I raise an eyebrow. "Isn't that, you know, what your parents are supposed to do?"

Severa gives me a sour look. "It's not that simple. Unlike this time around, Auntie Emmeryn died in my timeline. That meant Daddy had to take up the mantle and rule Ylisse. And peaceful realm or not, he always had his hands full keeping the realm running. So much so that Mother had to help him all the time. They never had much time for me or Lucina."

I grimace at hearing Severa's explanation. Yeah, parents being too busy working to spend time with their children is never a good thing. I should know. I come from a family like that myself. It's not like it's always the parents' fault either. Sometimes, life just deals you a terrible hand to play with. And, from what I know about Chrom and Cordelia, they'd never neglect time with their daughters unless absolutely necessary.

"Constant issues happening around the countryside?" I guess.

Severa nods. "And more. You'd be surprised how often Daddy was pestered by the nobles running around Ylisse for all manner of reasons." The Mercenary clicks her tongue. "Freaky stuck-ups with their harebrained marriage proposals. Try to betroth me to some tub of lard twenty years my senior because Lucina kicked his butt when he tried her, will they?"

I violently suppress the urge to go kill any overweight lolicon noble I can find, if for no other reason than the fact that they technically haven't tried it in this timeline.

"I take it Chrom denied every request of that sort, huh?"

Severa smirks. "Oh, you should've seen Daddy's face when they presented that proposal. He almost shoved Falchion through their throats while yelling at them that, he said, and I quote: "I'll be damned if I let you marry my little Severa to some child molesting lecher who just wants a trophy wife!"."

I whistle impressed. "Oh, good one, Chrom. I'd better note that one down in case any pompous know-it-all aristocrats try to ask for Rose's hand in marriage."

Severa snickers. "And that's before he let Mother in on the action. I never knew you could shove a broom so far up someone's butt until she did it. And, just for kicks, she had Auntie Lissa heal his wound, just so she could threaten to do it again."

I sweatdrop. "And they let you see all that? By my estimates, you weren't even ten when it happened."

Severa shrugs. "Part of the formalities when arranging marriages among nobility. Have to have both future spouses present before the deal is made, even if one of them don't even have any say in the matter." Severa sighs. "Other than that, the most often we had any time together was during all those stuffy parties thrown at the palace for the heck of it. Being the princess of a realm isn't easy, you know? Just look pretty, nod happily anytime some stuck-up minor noble cracks a joke or throws in a compliment, and pray that you can get them off your case as fast as possible while still looking polite. Still don't get how Auntie Lissa does it."

I raise an eyebrow. "Sounds like you lived the life of a doll more than an actual person."

Severa sighs again as she looks out over the ocean. "Story of my life… While in the palace, I was always Chrom's and Cordelia's daughter, or a princess, or Lucina's little sister, or whatever other title they thought would sound nice on me. And because everyone else in my family seemed oh so perfect, people expected me to be like that too. "Cordelia's legacy" they called me."

She turns back to me. "But then, I met you."

I turn to face Severa directly while still leaning against the railing. "Oh, this I've gotta hear."

"It all began when Lucina happily told Daddy that she had found a new teacher. Up until then, Daddy was the only one who trained her, what with her being his heiress and everything, and that was on top of all his other duties in ruling Ylisse." Severa tells me. "I didn't think much about it at first. I mean, of course instructors from all over the realm would kill for the chance of instructing the First Princess of Ylisse. But a few weeks in, something happened. Lucina came back with a few bruises and scuff marks on her body."

"And how's that bad?" I ask.

"You don't get it, do you, Sensei? Lucina's a princess." Severa stresses. "The eldest one at that. How do you think the capital would react if they learned that their precious golden child got hurt during training?"

I give my red-haired student a look of disbelief. "Oh, come on. They don't think she's made of glass, do they?"

Severa rolls her eyes. "If only you knew. But it got me thinking; Who in their right mind would train my sister and let her go in that state? Considering how boring life in the palace could be, the idea of finding out sounded too tempting to resist. So I asked Lucina to follow her to one of those training sessions."

"And that's when we met."

"Yep. I didn't know what to think of you at first. You had none of that formal talk at all when you addressed either of us. What's more, the clothes you wore looked so out of place in the palace. And then, Lucina's training started. I had never seen my sister struggle so hard as when you trained her. She put everything she had into fighting you. She slipped up. She got knocked down. She pushed herself up, even as she looked dead on her feet. But do you know what surprised me the most? She was smiling all the time. Like she was having fun. Like nothing else mattered to her, and she could just be herself. And in that moment, I thought; I want to know how that feels too. So when you were done, I asked if you could train me too."

"And I accepted, right?"

"You shot down my request." Severa bluntly corrects me.

That throws me for a loop. "Huh? But…you still address me as your teacher. How does that work?"

"Well… You didn't reject me outright. You simply said that I needed my parents' permission first before we started. Something about not wanting them to beat you into the ground if something went wrong." Severa sighs. "It wasn't easy, though. Daddy thought it was enough that Lucina got to train under you. Mother didn't want any of it, period."

"And I still took you under my wing...how?" I ask, still confused.

Severa frowns. "I think I've mentioned this in passing, but growing up as Lucina's sister wasn't easy. As the eldest, everyone had their eyes on her. Oh, sure, people still knew I was there as well, but it was more like an afterthought. Lucina always had first pick. I was sick and tired of it all. So for the first time I can remember, I yelled at both my parents that they don't even care about me. That all they see is Lucina."

"You basically guilt tripped them into letting me train you." I summarize.

Severa shuffles her feet. "More or less. I apologized to them later, of course." Then she smiles. "Still worth it in the end, though. You helped me learn skills I didn't even know were possible. But more importantly, I found sanctuary. Sure, the training was harsh, but you were always fair. You never played favorites, and you never bothered with any formalities. With you, I was never just a princess, or the daughter of someone special, or some doll that's supposed to look pretty." Severa gives me a soft smile. "I could just be…me. Any progress was through my own effort, and no one else's. You treated me like a person. Like I mattered. That was the first time it happened to me outside my family, Aunt Lissa included. I was so happy."

I smile back. "Well, I'm right here, and I think the way we're around each other works just fine."

Severa sniffs before she wipes a tear from her eye. "T-thank you. You're still the caring man I once knew. My first real friend before I met the others. I- You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course I don't. I'm just happy there are people in your life who see you for who you truly are. And I'm honored to be among those people, because I can tell that behind all that snark and the snide comments, you have a kind heart."

Severa giggles as she wipes another tear. "Look at you, throwing around compliments like it's all natural. But I guess it's that honesty that made me come back to you, no matter how harsh training with you was. You've been there to help me find my path. And now I want to be there for you, should you ever need me."

I offer her my hand. "And I'll do the same for you, Severa. Both as your teacher and as your friend."

Severa accepts my hand.

We smile and hold our hands for a moment longer.

Then Severa's face turns red and uncomfortable. She rips her hand out of the handshake in the blink of an eye.

"J-just don't get any funny ideas with me, got it?! We're still friends! A-and master and student! Nothing more, nothing less!"

I blink confused. "Um, sure? I mean, when did I ever suggest it's more than that?"

Severa blinks with a blank face (and the blush is still going strong) before she literally starts seething. Just as I think she'll explode on me, she turns around, flips a pigtail over her shoulder and stomps off with a huff.

Your relationship with Severa has advanced! Your relationship with Severa is now "Friends"!

The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Firestorm" with Severa!

Well, that was weird…


Since I spent some time just chilling with Severa on deck, I decided to cut my morning practice short so I would be back in time for when my wife wakes up. Lo and behold, she's awake by the time I return to our cabin.

And, to my amusement, she lies absolutely confused in the bed with all the stuffed animals around her.

"Jack? You're up early. And where did all these stuffed animals come from?" my wife asks as I close the door.

I smile. "I figured I could get some morning practice in while waiting for you to wake up. But I couldn't leave you alone, so I left a bunch of clones to keep you company in the meantime. And I had them all take the forms of the stuffed animals you're now surrounded by, since I figured that seven of me would make the bed very cramped."

Robin's eyes widen as she eyes the stuffed animals in a whole new light.

Then she scoops them all up (the giant teddy bear clone included) with a smile full of childlike joy.

"I love you all!"

Some ten minutes later, all my plushie clones dispel and hit me with the memory of being hugged by my wife while she declares her love for me seven times over at the same time. I've got the grin to tell the tale. It's a good day to be me.


I twirl the practice staff a few times before I set myself in an easy stance. On the opposite side of the sparring ring, Cynthia goes in a low combat stance of her own, training staff firmly gripped in both hands.

"So, how are we doing this?" I ask my brunette student. "You want to spar on your pegasus or on foot?"

Cynthia blinks. "Wait, you mean I can ride Deku while sparring with you? That doesn't sound fair, Jack-sensei."

I smirk and lift off the deck. "It would seem I need to remind you why I'm the master, and you're the student, Cynthia."

The Pegasus Knight gulps as she takes in my flying form. Then she nods and whistles her pegasus to her.

"By the way, why did you name your pegasus "Deku" of all things?" I ask.

Cynthia shrugs. "Believe it or not, it was originally your idea. Something about this arrangement being too good to pass up. All right! Let's do this, Sensei!"

I blinked bemused before I chuckle and retake my stance, this one adjusted for aerial combat.

Cynthia takes the initiative and charges me. Seeing as she has her mount to add extra momentum to her charge, I zip up and turn around to strike her from above instead. Cynthia reacts quickly and raises her staff to block my downward swing. Our weapons only make brief contact before the Pegasus Knight slips away and gets ready for another attack run.

Hm. So she uses hit-and-run tactics against me. That's a solid strategy for most mounted units who fight foot soldiers, as it allows them to use the significant difference in mobility to their maximum advantage. No wonder there were anti-cavalry weapons developed over the centuries. Some foot soldier veterans must've been really pissed over their cavalry enemies constantly darting in and out of their own range before they could retaliate.

That being said, I dare say my own mobility far exceeds that of most mounted soldiers, thanks to my own skillset.

So instead of waiting for Cynthia's next charge, I take the initiative this time and fly towards her instead. In response, Cynthia pulls on the reins on her pegasus, making the winged mount rear back and thrash its front hooves in my direction. So I change course and dive underneath. Then I curve and come up on her right for a flanking blow.

*Thwack!*

Only for my sneak attack to be intercepted by a thrust from Cynthia. Even though I managed to deflect the blow, it had enough force to keep its course relatively stable and nicked me on the shoulder.

I back off and rub it idly while eyeing Cynthia carefully. I know that she's skilled with polearms, but skill alone doesn't-

Wait a minute… There are green sparks traveling along the length of her training staff. That sneaky little vixen.

"So that's how you want to play it, do you?" I ask frowning. I put a layer of Reinforcement in place. "Fine. Then I'll play along."

Cynthia scratches the back of her head sheepishly. "Oops. You saw that?"

"The green sparks give it away." I explain and charge forward. About halfway to Cynthia, I switch it up and start to dart around.

Cynthia frowns as she tries to follow my movements. As I get close, she makes her pegasus do a somersault. At the apex of the loop, she jumps off her mount and comes down with an overhead swing where I'm headed. I brake and wind up for my own swing.

Our training weapons meet with a thundering crack…

*Krk…*

…and snap moments later due to the amount of force behind the swings.

The world briefly goes still as both Cynthia and I realize the Pegasus Knight is still falling at high speeds, and there's nothing stopping her. Thinking fast, I zip back to get out of the line of fire.

And then Cynthia crashes face-first on deck.

*Bam!*

I float back down on deck to check on my student. Sure, her HP is alright, but Sumia needs at least a little peace of mind.

I crouch in front of my student. "You okay there, Cynthia?"

The brunette puts her hands on the wooden surface and pushes herself up with a groan. "Oh, ow… Didn't expect that to happen."

I take another look at my broken training staff. "You're telling me. Those training weapons snapped like twigs when we got serious." I toss what remains of my training staff away without a care. "Guess we need to figure out a better way of sparring in the future if ordinary training weapons don't make the cut. Until then, I'd say we're done for the day."

Cynthia nods and pushes herself up in a sitting position. "So, how did I do? Pretty cool moves, huh?"

I rub my chin. "You have an interesting approach to fighting, I'll give you that much. On one hand, you have a firm grasp on the hit-and-run tactics that Pegasus Knights are known for. On the other hand, you can draw on so much raw physical strength that such tactics simply won't work. Hence a style that's all about charging in headfirst and smash through the enemies. I'd normally call that a bad idea, but you seem to make it work."

Cynthia grins. "I know, right? It's the hero's job to spearhead the offensive, so I have to make sure everyone notices me."

I sweatdrop at Cynthia's reply. "I don't think it works that way. Sure, you hit hard, but you're hardly the most defensive fighter of your generation (barring non-wind magic). Making yourself obvious for the enemy means you're practically asking their archers to aim at you."

Cynthia waves off my concern. "Eh, details. It doesn't matter if they can't hit me. Besides, offense is the best defense, right?"

I frown. "There's something that doesn't add up. It doesn't matter how agile you are in a fight, Cynthia. Against a big enough enemy army, it's only a matter of time before you get hit. So why would you expose yourself in such a vulnerable position instead of staying close to your allies and let them protect you?"

"Well, just think about it, Sensei. If all the enemies are busy looking at me, who's looking at the others as they get ready to attack?"

I blink bemused. Considering Cynthia's one of the few fliers on her generation, that means she'd be among the only ones the enemies look at. It may only be for a moment, but that one moment can decide everything.

"Let me get this straight." I probe. "You spearhead the offensive and make yourself obvious, just so the enemy will drop their guard against your ground bound allies? I'm all for efficient tactics, but I fail to see how Lucina would ever approve of such a reckless strategy."

"The life of a hero is always fraught with danger, Jack-sensei. That's the first lesson you taught me when you allowed me to train under you." Cynthia explains. "I can't be a hero unless I put myself at risk. That's the price I have to pay if I want to protect my comrades."

"But why you specifically, Cynthia?"

Cynthia pokes her fingers together. "I've always wanted to be a hero. It's kind of hard not to when you grow up with parents like mine. I've always admired them. I still do. And I want to become a hero who defeats the bad guy and saves the day, just like them."

I scratch my head. "Again, I don't think that's how it works, Cynthia. Being a hero is more than just smacking around some villain terrorizing the innocent. Answer me this; why would you even bother attacking the bad guy in the first place?"

Cynthia blinks bemused. "Because he's doing a bad thing?"

"*Sigh* I'm afraid you're missing the point, Cynthia. And that concerns me. Being a hero may be a noble goal, but unless you have a clear picture of what a hero truly is and that picture fits with reality, you run the risk of becoming the very thing you try to fight."

Cynthia gasps. "What?! I'd never turn into some evildoer who attacks the innocent!"

"And what makes you so sure about that? Have you ever tried to reason with a person you perceive as a villain? For that matter, have you ever considered the fact that the villains you try so hard to fight against are humans just as much as we are?"

"Um… I, uh…"

I shake my head. "Look, I don't expect you to have an answer straight away. I just don't want you to risk your life for the wrong reasons, let alone keep going even after the danger has passed. Where I come from, there's a proverb about heroism that I think you could learn a great deal from."

That makes Cynthia perk up. "Really? What is it?"

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Cynthia looks at me confused. "Huh? I don't get it."

I smile and get up. "That's what I want you to think about, Cynthia. Try reading up on some history while you're at it. About revolutionists who risked their lives to take down an oppressive government. What became of those who died trying, and those who lived on to reform the societies where they lived. Laurent should be able to help you in that regard."

Cynthia pouts. "Reading books won't save anyone, Sensei. Besides, it's boring."

In response, I pull a book out of my bag and smack Cynthia over the head with it.

"OW! What was that for?!" the Pegasus Knight shouts as she holds her head in pain.

"A half-baked attempt to knock some sense into you, Cynthia. I may have trained you to fight in a simple, yet effective way, but I refuse to believe I trained you to be ignorant. I'll have you know that some of the greatest heroes of my home world were scholars. They dedicated their lives to fight the tyranny of disease, and some of them succumbed to the very horrors they fought against. But there are those who found cures, stopped pandemics, and saved millions of lives for generation to come. And the most dangerous tools they wielded were mere dissecting knives."

Cynthia eyes the book of my hand with an expression of curiosity. "Wait, so they fought, but not against villains?"

"You could say that the diseases were their villains. After all, pandemics can strike anyone, be they good or evil. If that doesn't fit the description of a villain, I don't know what does." I explain.

Cynthia blinks before she crosses her arms and frowns in deep thought.

I walk away from the Pegasus Knight where she sits. "Give it some thought, Cynthia. You might learn something new about heroism that you never thought was possible by the time you're done."

Your relationship with Cynthia has improved!

Well, that was a strange case of tough love. Or maybe that's how it typically looks like. Here's to hoping Sumia won't be upset that I hit her daughter over the head with a book. Maybe I should've aimed for the face instead… No evidence left behind.


Donnel and Vaike stand at attention in front of me, faces serious. I clear my throat as I unravel a paper sheet.

"Donnel and Vaike. In preparation for this voyage to the continent of Valm, you two have joined me on a journey for the purpose of recruiting allies to aid us in our upcoming campaign." I read out loud from the text written on the paper. "Over the course of this journey, you have both shown resourcefulness, sound judgement, the ability to take initiative and battle prowess far exceeding that of a rank soldier. In recognition of the ability you have displayed, and by the power vested in me through my rank as captain, I hereby bestow upon each of you a symbol of your ability. Lieutenant Frederick. The seals, if you please."

Frederick approaches us with two wooden boxes in his hands, each big enough to fit a small watermelon. He presents the boxes to me with all the stoicism befitting an official ceremony. I open each box, revealing a Master Seal sitting on a velvet cushion inside. I take the first seal and give it to Donnel.

"Donnel, time and again you have proven yourself a capable soldier with an aptitude only seen once in a generation, backed up with a work ethic befitting only the most dedicated of warriors. No matter what you may think of yourself, you are no longer a hindrance for your comrades. Rather, you have become an ally who we all can depend on, and at the rate you are going, it's only a matter of time before you place among the best of the best. I bestow this seal upon you in recognition of the hard work you have put in for both the realm you serve and the family you love so dearly." I place the Master Seal in the former farmer's waiting hands and snap a salute. "In your comrades, you find strength, as do your comrades find strength in you!"

Donnel holds the seal carefully in one hand while he mimics my salute with the other. "In service of Her Gracefulness and the halidom of Ylisse." he replies.

No one bothers to comment on how he kind of botched Emmeryn's title. Considering it's Donnel, it really doesn't matter.

Next up is Vaike. Like Donnel, he accepts the Master Seal with a reverence that I normally never see on him.

"Vaike, when I first met you after I returned from the Outrealms, I had learned that you still had a ways to go before you would be considered worthy of promotion. During our trip through Regna Ferox, you have shown that you have grown to match and even exceed these expectations. Your judgement has proven to be sound, your awareness in battle shows experience, and the loyalty you show to your allies has, if possible, grown stronger as we have traveled." I salute the Barbarian, just like with Donnel. "No matter the situation, you always have been, and always will be, a vanguard who opens the path for the rest of us, should we ever face opposition. That kind of reliability is a rarity among soldiers, and is one you should take pride in. Stand tall, so that the enemy may see your might and realize that you are but a taste of what's to come, should they refuse to surrender."

Vaike performs a salute of his own, though he allows himself a tiny grin. "So long as my back's covered, I need only move forward."

I nod in approval before I take a step back.

"The seals presented to you will open a new way forward. Choose where you wish to walk, and raise your seals into the air."

Donnel and Vaike nod and do just that. The Master Seals begin to glow before they fly into the air and unleash a rain of magical thunderbolts on both axe wielders. The world is briefly blinded by the flash before they both vanish in a giant dust cloud (which doesn't make any sense, since there's hardly any dust on the deck).

The dust cloud first disperses around Vaike. Gone is the furry garb around his shoulders. Instead, he wears pauldrons made of animal bone and small pieces of leather armor on various parts on his body. The light covering reveals his muscled physique for the whole world to see.

Vaike's class has changed to Berserker!

The blond grins as he flexes his muscles. "Aw yeah! Watch Teach take you through the motions."

Sully snorts. "Yeah, yeah. That's enough boasting from you, Vaike."

"Aw, come on, Sully! Let me enjoy this moment a bit, will ya? I worked my pants off for this!"

"Hate to break it to ya, Muscles, but I think Curls's got you beat there." Gaius snickers.

The Assassin's point becomes clear when Donnel finally comes into view.

Where he used to wear light armor, the former farm boy now has a respectable ensemble to cover his body. His armor is still light, for all intents and purposes, but it covers far more than before, most notably both arms, his shins, and even the neck. Curiously enough, his brass pot is still sitting on his head.

And, true to Gaius's words, Donnel's muscle mass is way bigger than Vaike's. Like, the guy's so muscular now that he almost makes Vaike look scrawny in comparison.

Donnel's class has changed to Warrior!

Donnel rolls his shoulder a few times. "Feels funny… Like I'm a whole different fella!"

A drop of sweat forms at the back of my head. "Oi, oi. There has to be a limit to how freakin' swole a person can get. This is getting ridiculous, Donnel."

Nowi glomps her husband with a hungry look. "So much muscle…"

Is that drool leaking out of her mouth and hearts in her eyes? Huh. Never expected Nowi to secretly have a muscle fetish. So much for my sister figure being innocent (or as innocent as a dragon, who can and has already roasted several people alive, can be).

Vaike, for his part, is busy lamenting the fact that he got outmatched in muscle size in front of everyone. He's even got a massive depression cloud hovering over his head to complete the look.

Basilio claps the newly minted Warrior on the shoulder. "Hey, kid. Nice seeing ya made a good career choice. Though I've gotta ask; ever tried using a bow before?"

Donnel blinks before he clears his throat. "Huh, me? I mean, no, yer Khan lordshipness."

Basilio sweatdrops at the honorific before he shrugs. "Uh, right… Well, good thing I'm around then. Tell you what; since you've clearly settled for the best role possible, how about we celebrate the occasion with some bow practice? Who knows? You might turn into a good shot someday."

An excited smile grows on Donnel's lips. "It'd be an honor, sir! Just tell me when!"

A shiver runs down my spine. It was bad enough that Donnel is supposedly an old hand with slingshots. If he develops that kind of skill with bows and picks up one with ridiculous draw weight…

I'm not sure who would make the scarier archer; Donnel…or Noire. On one hand, my mentally unstable student has the fire power of an artillery battery, so long as she's got the mana to spare. On the other hand, Donnel's got so much raw strength that his bow of choice might as well be a ballista.


I take a deep breath and exhale. Then I focus on my opponent in front of me; Lon'qu.

"You ready for this?"

The Swordmaster nods with an equally focused expression and gets in a fighting stance with his designated training weapon; a broomstick.

In response, I mirror his action with a broomstick on my own.

"Broomsticks?" Laurent asks confused. "Master Jack, I understand that we need to conserve our supplies carefully, but is this not a bit extreme?"

I take the time to briefly glance at my student. "Trust me, Laurent. Anything deadlier than this, and neither Lon'qu nor I will be able to spar beyond the first clash." Then I focus back at Lon'qu. "Have at you."

Lon'qu tenses up before he inches towards me slowly. He raises his broomstick in the air and swings it at me – slowly. I step in to meet him and meet his swing with my own.

*Tok*

"…"

"…"

Lon'qu and I immediately back away from each other. I release the breath I didn't even know I was holding in. "Okay… Okay, I think this could work."

Lon'qu nods with a drop of sweat running down his brow from the intense concentration. "As long as we're careful." He gets in a low stance. "One more round."

I nod and get ready myself. Lon'qu makes a short dash to get in range and thrusts the broomstick at me. I deflect the blow and retaliate with a diagonal slash. Lon'qu rolls to the side and comes up for a rising strike. I lean backwards, pivot, and send a backhanded slash his way. Lon'qu's quick on the uptake and counters with his own slash.

*Shing* *Plonk, plonk*

I click my tongue as I toss away my sliced-in-half broomstick. "Curses! And we had such a good flow going too."

Lon'qu eyes the remaining half of his broomstick. "It worked so long as we concentrated on holding back, but I believe we got lost in the moment in that final clash."

I rub my temples. "*Sigh* This might be the best way for us to keep our skills sharp, but, man, holding back to this degree is hard."

My lieutenant nods. "That's to be expected. If our skills are at such a level, the only way to truly progress is by holding back until the situation demands otherwise."

"How…?" Laurent asks in disbelief.

I blink and face the Mage. "Hm? How what?"

Laurent points at the cut broomsticks. "How in the world do you slice a broomstick in half using another broomstick!? Two weapons cannot cut each other at the same time, and even if they could, neither of those objects have a sharp edge to begin with!"

Robin places a comforting hand on my student's shoulder. "Get used to it, Laurent. Jack and Lon'qu are among the most skilled sword wielders I know, aside from Chrom. I have seen them perform a similar feat before, but they used actual training swords back then."

Laurent turns to my wife with even more disbelief written over his face. "But…how? This shouldn't even be possible."

"That's why I'm telling you that you won't find the insight you're seeking if you just go on you mind alone, Laurent." I tell my student. "Sometimes, the heart acts irrationally."

Laurent gives me a flat look. "I fail to see how the heart has anything to do with this."

I scratch the back of my head. "Yeah, maybe it doesn't. The point is; just go with the flow. No need to sweat the details."

"Far out, maaan…"

We all blink and turn our heads to where that strange phrase came from. That's when I see Nah sitting against the railing and looking at seemingly nothing in the sky with glassy eyes and a bit of drool leaking from her mouth.

"Nah? Are you okay?" I ask my niece concerned.

"Juuusht peachy, Uncle Jack." the half-manakete replies while swaying back and forth unsteadily. "You should try out some a' this stuff. It's gooood."

That's when I notice a bundle of what looks like browned grass compressed into the vague shape of a cookie in Nah's hand. What in the world is that?


Wacky weed, Consumable, Very uncommon
A plant that only grows in humid, tropical climates. The leaves contain a syrupy fluid that has a calming effect on whoever consumes it. Natives from those lands often chew some of this plant to alleviate fever or nausea. If consumed in too great an amount, however, the consumer enters a state of narcotic intoxication. This happens most frequently if the fluid is processed and refined to a distinctly brown mass to enhance its effects. Of course, regular consumption of the calming substance comes with significant health risks, which led to the plant to be outlawed altogether in many civilizations. Simply put; Don't do drugs. It never ends well.


My eyes widen as I read the description. I crouch and place my hands on Nah's shoulders.

"Nah? Can you hear me?" I ask her gently.

Nah gives me a dull stare. "Sshure…" she slurs out.

"Nah, who gave you that cookie?" I ask, barely holding my ire back.

Nah gives me a dopey smile. "You want shome too? I got it from the redheaded lady over there."

I follow where Nah points and find Anna, who's doing a poor job at looking inconspicuous.

Any attempt she may have made to escape is mercilessly crushed under a combination of Telekinesis, enough murderous intent to give the average mook PTSD (complete with the demonic bear illusion), and some wind manipulation to cause a miniature storm around myself.

"Anna. What did you give Nah?" I ask the merchant in a tone that promises pain if she gives the wrong answer.

Anna, for her part, tries to look anywhere but at me as sweat runs down her face. "Um… Well, I thought it would help her seasickness, since she's practically been puking dragon fire nonstop. I, uh… I might've given her a bit much (I didn't mean to, I swear!)."

"Is that so?" I ask as the bear illusion behind me snarls. "Mind telling me why you would try to alleviate my niece's seasickness with an outlawed substance that comes with significant health risks, let alone explain why you have such a substance in the first place?"

"Weeeell… It technically isn't outlawed everywhere, now is it? I thought that…maybe I could turn in a quick profit if I sold it to the right customer at the right place."

I give the merchant a blank stare. Anna fidgets nervously.

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Could you at least tell me if there's a way to remove the blasted stuff from her body?"

Anna taps her chin a few times. "I think a skilled enough healer can get rid of the worst of it. The rest should go away after some proper bed rest. Maybe."

I give the merchant a final glare before I leave. "It better do the trick, or I'll find a way to inflict inhuman amounts of pain on your person while still having a technically legal excuse."

Anna gulps. "You wouldn't…would you?"

"Try me. I dare you."

I sigh as the murderous atmosphere around me dissipates. I soon get back to Nah (who still looks stoned out of her mind) and place her over my shoulder. "Come on, Nah. Let's find Libra and see if he can't purge this stuff out of your system."

"Unca Jack, neeoooo…"


AN: For real, using drugs never ends well. Anyone who claims otherwise deserves a bible to the head while you yell "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thine neighbor!", which basically means; no lying. At least one of you out there may claim that my standpoint is a bit extreme. To that I say; So what if it is? It sure is a heck of a lot healthier than trying substances that have been proven to be harmful to you.


Timeskip

Sigh. It's a good thing Libra joined us for this voyage after all. After he learned of Nah's situation, the War Monk more or less dragged Miriel to his medical hut and had the Sage run tests to determine what Nah had put in her mouth. All the while, Libra and Miriel sent me around the room to fetch all manner of substances. An hour into the testing, Miriel managed to break the substance down and concocted a potion that would essentially flush it out.

Don't ask what it's made of. Despite my interest in chemistry, I'm not a certified chemist. Whatever Miriel put into that beaker pretty much knocked Nah out cold. From there, it's just a matter of letting the half-manakete get plenty of bedrest, and she should be just fine. According to Miriel. Of course, Libra will be busy keeping an eye on the poor girl to make sure she recovers without any major issues.

I sigh as I walk back out on deck. Man, who would've thought working as a medical assistant could be so hectic? It wasn't even a surgery where the patient's life hung in the balance.

"Well? How is she?" Nowi asks worriedly.

I smile. "She should be fine after enough rest. Whatever Miriel cooked up, it should be able to flush out…whatever the heck she ate in the first place." I crack my knuckles, smile still in place. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a merchant to bully."

"I already told you, I'm sorry!" Anna shouts from where she's clinging to a mast like a spooked koala.

I raise an eyebrow in amusement. "You do realize I can just fly up to your position, right?"

"Rats! I knew I forgot something important when I planned on hiding up here until you cooled down!"

Nowi shakes her head. "Leave her be, Jack. She was just trying to help Nah, even though it went kind of wrong."

"See! Nowi's being reasonable! Listen to her!"

I sigh. "Fine. I'll let Anna off the hook."

"I knew you had a good heart!"

"Still handing you over to the authorities after we're done with this campaign, though!"

"Oh, come on!"

I point at the redhead. "Giving drugs to kids is not okay, no matter what the local laws say."

"We're not even in a place with established laws, period! These are international waters, you know!"

My smile returns. "And for that very same reason, the only thing stopping me from inflicting bodily harm upon your person out of spite is the fact that I agreed to lay off, thanks to my sister figure.

Nowi rolls her eyes. "I'm not sure whether I should be sad or proud over being the elder sibling in this relationship. We kind of tend to flip the roles around a bit, don't you think, Jack?"

I nod sagely. "Ah, the wonders of accepting me as a family member."

"Seriously, what happened to you during those nine months you were traveling? You just seem off at times."

"In my defense, I was already kind of off in the head when we first met. Bad first impressions and all that."

Nowi rubs her temples. "*Sigh* Don't remind me. I'm still amazed our first day together ended well at all."

"Again, the wonders of accepting me as a family member."


"Captain! Land sighted!" Artemia shouts from the crow's nest.

One look through the telescope confirms her sightings.

"Good eye, Artemia! I'll let Chrom hear it. Keep watch in case there's anything else!"

Chrom takes a long, good look through the telescope. "At last, Valm Harbor. Hmm… It appears well fortified… Prepare the troops. We'll-" The prince stops mid-sentence and enlarges the image he seems to have spotted. "Huh? What's that?"

Frederick raises an eyebrow. "Something amiss, milord?"

Chrom frowns and hands the Great Knight the telescope. "It seems there's trouble brewing in the harbor, Frederick. The imperials are chasing down a woman."

Frederick's searching soon stops as he focuses on a specific direction. "Ah, I see who you are referring to. An enemy to the empire, perhaps?"

"Any enemy of the empire is a friend of ours." Chrom replies. He turns to Robin. "Robin, tell the troops to be ready to storm the harbor the moment we dock. Whoever that woman is, she'll need help if she's to escape the imperials."

Robin rubs her chin in deep thought. Knowing her, she's already planning a course of action.

"Having all our ships enter the harbor at once would be dangerous, Chrom." my wife points out. "At most, maybe ten of our ships could enter at the same time from what I can gather of those docks, and even that would require careful steering from the helmsmen. If the situation's as urgent as you say it is, it's safest to just land one ship and secure enough of the harbor to let the others join in later."

"Which would mean our flagship and the troops on board will be the only ones to meet any imperial soldiers stationed at the harbor." I conclude as I pick up on her reasoning.

Robin nods. "That's what I concluded as well. Seems like we have to act as our army's vanguard if we're to save that woman and make landfall in Valm with any chance of success."

Chrom frowns and rubs his chin. "Not how I would like our entrance into Valm to be like, but it seems like we have little choice. We may be in a hurry, but not so much that we can risk any more ships than the ones we sacrificed to sink their fleet."

Basilio grins hungrily at the idea. "No need to sweat it, Chrom. If anything, this'll be the perfect moment to give those Valmese jerks a taste of their own Vulnerary. They sent a ship full of soldiers to my harbor and wrecked the place while claiming the lands as their own. We're just returning the favor before the battles begin for real."

Flavia gives her fellow khan a dry look. "You're still sore about that incident, oaf? That happened more than a month ago. Besides, Port Ferox was well on its way to recover last time I checked."

"But it ain't back to its former glory just yet." Basilio points out as he cracks his knuckles. "Besides, I still haven't had a proper piece of the action yet. I wanna enter Valm with style, preferably while busting heads while I'm at it."

Flavia rolls her eyes. "And this is why Ferox is better off with me as the reigning khan, and not you."

While our favorite barbarian rulers have their little not-lovers' spat, Robin turns to me.

"Jack, we need to get in fast if we're to reach that woman Chrom spotted in time."

I smile at her. "Already on the same page, Robin. We have the perfect helmsman on board for this task."

I turn to the helm. "Barras, full speed! Get us to those docks as fast as you can."

The Barbarian salutes. "You got it, Captain! Hey! You heard the man, people! Get those sails unfurled! We've got a snappy landing to make!"


As we approach the docks, Linebeck clears his throat. "Uh, Captain Jack? Hate to rain on your parade, but I've got bad news. We can't dock the ship at this speed. Not unless we crash it into port."

I rub my chin. I'm no navigational expert, but I know enough about inertia to recognize that my teammate has a point.

The proverbial candle lights up above my hand. Here's to hoping Robin won't scold me when I tell her about my idea.

"All right, new plan. Barras, steer the ship so that you'll pass the docks as close as you can. I'll jump into town from there."

Lon'qu gives me a dirty look. "Jack, what madness are you up to this time?"

"Trust me, Lon'qu. I know what I'm doing."

"That's exactly what worries me." the Swordmaster clarifies. "I had hoped Robin's presence would curb some of your crazy ideas, but I was clearly mistaken."

"To be fair, when have I not been up to some crazy ideas?" I counter.

"At least you admit to your lunacy…" my lieutenant grumbles.

Robin sighs. "All right, what are you up to this time, Jack? Depending on what your answer is, I may have to pull rank on you, as much as it pains me."

I nod in approval. "Shows how much you care about me, Robin. Anyway, my plan is simple; Get the ship close enough for me to get into town. I can navigate the place fast enough that I can rescue that woman on the run before the valmese corner her."

My wife raises an eyebrow. "Last time I checked, you've never been to this place before. How are you supposed to navigate this port town if you've never been here, and under time pressure at that?"

I grin. "Who said I would take the streets? The roofs give plenty of bird's-eye view for me to use."

Lon'qu snorts. "And I assume you'll just pick up our potential ally after you find her, and jump the roofs back the way you came?"

My grin grows wider (and a tad bit crazier). "Oh, ho ho ho. That'd be too simple, Lon'qu. I have a much faster method for getting back."

I scan the deck before my eyes land on the person necessary for this plan to work. "Hey, Noire? You still have that Hirashin kunai on you?"

The Archer perks up. "Huh? Yes, of course. I always keep it on me, Jack-sensei." To emphasize, she pulls out the dagger for me to see.

I nod. "Good. Then I have a shot to pull this off."

Robin eyes the dagger. "Jack, what is that?"

I shrug. "A weapon that mine and Henry's future selves apparently crafted based on a little something I discovered before we first met. I've already tested the spell runes engraved in its hilt, so it should work as intended."

Henry rubs his chin as he gives the kunai a closer look. "Huh. Looks neat. So, what's it do?"

I grin and turn back towards the docks. "You're about to find out, Henry."

Barras makes a hard turn as we get close to the docks, putting me in the position I want.

"All right, that's as close as I dare steer this ship, Captain." the Barbarian reports. "Now what?"

I place a foot on the railing. "Until I return, sail around a bit until you can dock here comfortably. Noire!"

Said Archer yelps. "Y-yes, Sensei?"

"On my signal, be ready to toss that kunai onto the ship deck two minutes later. Make sure it's on a place with enough space for at least two people."

Robin places a hand on my shoulder. "Jack, whatever you do, be careful. You're about to run right into enemy lines on your own."

"I know, Robin. There's no need to worry, though." I reply smiling. Then I turn towards everyone else. "You guys better keep your eyes on Noire's dagger, 'cause you're about to witness the rescue operation of the generation."


Quest alert:
Main quest: Smoldering resistance
Right as you're about to make landfall on Valm, Chrom spots a woman on the run from the empire. Following his usual logic, the prince sees a potential ally in the escapee. Get her to safety, and see if you can't find a local resident on your side while you're at it. Of course, that only applies after you've secured a foothold on Valmese soil. That means the port town has to be cleared of imperials.
Objective: Defeat all Valmese soldiers. Don't let Say'ri die.
Rewards: 15 000 EXP, 15 000 gold
Bonus objective: None
Failure: You have no base of operations for your campaign, nor do you have any allies to make on the continent. In short, you lose the war. End of story.


A second round of contemplation makes it clear to me that trying a running start may be better than just making a burst jump off the ship. Decision made, I walk to the center of the deck, crouch a little, and speed off.

"Noire, now!" I shout as my foot makes contact with the railing.

BGM: Escape from the city, Sonic adventures 2 OST

A burst of Gale step launches me clear above the harbor and onto a nearby roof. From there, I run and jump from rooftop to rooftop while mentally mapping the place out. Man, the streets in this port town go all over the place.

"Hey! Who's that?!" I hear someone shout under me.

I look down and realize I've been spotted by some Valmese soldiers. Deciding to take a more discreet approach, I jump down and point my palm at the imperials.

"I am not an enemy." I intone.

"He's clearly an enemy!" a Paladin among their ranks shouts.

I turn around and run for it. Curses! The Jedi mind trick didn't work! Forgive me, Master Obi-Wan! I have failed you!

But just as it seems like I'm rounding a corner, I jump on the wall of a house instead and bounce right back at the soldiers. My sudden change in direction catches them off-guard. That gives me the opening to go for the Paladin, kick his shield right off his arm and grab it before I continue my run.

"I'm borrowing this!" I shout behind me as I flee.

"Get him!" the Paladin shouts enraged.

The street ahead of me slopes a bit downwards. Perfect!

I toss the shield I snatched onto the ground and jump on it. We're shield surfin', baby!

I wave behind me. "Later!"

I lean a bit to the left to dodge a few barrels on the ground, lean to the right to dodge a Javelin, and place a barrel behind me right as an arrow is shot. A well-timed jump has me practically fly over a set of stairs before I bump over a crate and slide to a stop right as I reach a three-way street and snatch the shield back up.

That's when I realize there's a sizable group of imperials on the right. The imperials all turn around in sync, eyes glowing red.

I turn the other way and book it. "Nope!"

Even as I weave between alleys and round corners, I notice how more and more imperials chase after me. And after one particular corner…

"GET HIM!"

…I notice the soldiers I first ran into earlier, including one familiar, shield-less and pissed off Paladin. Great. Now I'm in the middle of a street with enemy soldiers on both sides.

Which means there's only one way for me to go: up.

A burst of Gale step brings me to roof level and allows me to leave my ground bound chasers behind. Though I only have time to cross two roofs before I narrowly dodge another arrow shot at me.

"Whoa! Hey, watch where you're aiming that-" *Fwoom!* "Yikes!"

There are imperials all over the streets trying to shoot me down! Good thing I finally got a read on my target. A few more rooftops and a dozen close shaves with Elthunder spells later, I jump down in an alley between a group of imperials and a female Swordmaster.

Say'ri Lvl 35 Class: Swordmaster

While shocked at first, the Valmese soldiers recover quickly and point their lances at me and Say'ri.

"You have nowhere to run. Any last words?" one asks.

Right on cue, I sense Noire toss the Hiraishin kunai.

"One thing." I reply. "You will remember this as the day when you almost captured Jack the Reaper."

I grab Say'ri's shoulder grinning. "See ya!"

*Flash!*

BGM ends

*Flash!* "Eep!"

I reappear on the deck of our ship with Say'ri in tow. A quick scan of everyone around me indicates that Noire was the one who yelped. Probably to be expected, since she's the one who helped me set the whole thing up without necessarily knowing what I had in mind.

For her part, Say'ri stumbles from the flash of light and sudden movement and tries to find the nearest support. It turns out to be Frederick.

"Mercy… What in the world just happened…?" the female Swordmaster asks while keeping one hand on her head and one firmly clamped on the collar of Frederick's breastplate.

Chrom sighs and rubs his temples. "I apologize for whatever Jack put you through. To tell you the truth, we had intended to save you the moment we spotted you getting chased by those imperial soldiers. Jack volunteered, but I still don't understand how exactly he did it."

I cross my arms. "In my defense, we were in a race against time. I had to pull something fast, or chances were she would've been captured before we could reach her. Or worse."

Say'ri finally manages to stand on her feet without using Frederick as support (which is good, because Sumia looks to be half a second away from committing jealousy induced murder) and finally scans her surroundings.

In particular, her eyes focus back on me. "Wait… He called you "Jack"."

I nod. "That's my name, yes."

Say'ri gives me a closer look. "Garbed in a purple, nigh ethereal cloak. A white greatsword shaped like a bat's wing. You would not happen to be the one they call Jack the Reaper, would you?"

"That's what I called myself right as we met – quite literally." I confirm.

Say'ri sighs relieved. "Then it means I stand among the Ylissean league. At long last, some good news. And to be rescued by the Scourge of the seas himself."

Wait… I got that title while at sea, which means there's no way for any spy who could've snuck aboard our ship could ever have a chance to relay those news to Say'ri without being spotted. The fact that she knows of that title can only mean that she's got at least one Pegasus Knight on her side who performs recon at sea.

Say'ri clears her throat as she addresses Chrom. "Prince Chrom of Ylisse, I wish to speak more, but…"

Chrom frowns as he looks back out over the port town, where soldiers are scrambling about all over the streets. The harbor in particular is seeing more soldiers, now that they've noticed that we've docked.

The prince draws Falchion. "We'll have time for all the talk we need once the fighting is finished. Shepherds! Prepare for battle!"

Basilio grins as he pulls out a Silver Axe. "Heh. I still remember when these guys barged into my port and wrecked both the town and my army. Time to return the favor – twice!"

Flavia rolls her eyes as she draws a Silver Sword. "So eager to throw yourself on a lance, oaf? Remember, this is enemy territory. We may have sunk their fleet, but chances are they have even more troops stationed on the mainland."

If possible, Basilio grins even wider. "That means there's more heads for me to bust. Ba ha ha!"

We're about to jump off the ship and start the fight for real when I notice Say'ri hesitate.

"Something the matter?" I ask the Swordmaster.

Say'ri blushes. "I would join you in this battle, were I able to. However, I am currently…unarmed."

Oh.

Yeah, Say'ri only holds a Concoction by the time you find her, if only to help her survive until you can plow your way through all the Valmese units and save her.

Or, you know, you could just give a staff user with high enough magic a Rescue staff, give that Valmese blockade the finger, and recruit her on turn one. I did that every time since playthrough number 2 of Awakening.

My method was just cooler. And, well, not possible to pull off in the actual game, but that's beside the point.

I tap a finger on my chin as I rack my brain for possible options for our newest ally. I could always lend her a Traced weapon, since I have the mana to spare. Or I could send a clone to the inventory and fetch a sword for her, hoping it's one she's comfortable with (she's already an accomplished sword user, so no problem there).

Or…I could make use of an old buddy of mine who's been sidelined for a long time. Yeah, I'll go with that.

"I might have a solution to that problem." I eventually tell her and reach into my bag.

After some rummaging, I finally pull out what I was looking for; my trusty old Windcleaver, still in pristine condition thanks to regular and proper care.

Say'ri balks as she sees me pull the sword out of a bag that shouldn't be able to hold an object that long. "How did you-"

"Don't ask. Just don't." every single Shepherd, my teammates and even the khans interject in perfect sync and identical flat looks.

I place my old sword in her hands. "Draw it and give it a try."

Say'ri gently grasps the hilt and draws the blade with all the reverence that you would expect for some priceless artifact. Then, a fourth of the way, the rest of the blade gets pulled out with a ringing sound that only a Swordmaster seems to be capable of.

Say'ri looks at the blade with its glowing wavy pattern in awe. "This… This blade was crafted by a true master blacksmith. Where did you find such a fine blade?"

I shrug. "Got it from an assassin who tried to kill me a few years back. I caught him off-guard, shoved a Bronze Sword into his heart, and took the sword as my own. It has served me well through many battles and journeys, so I can vouch for its sharpness. Also, be careful not to swing too hard in the direction of an ally. That sword's infused with wind magic and launches blades of air if you swing hard enough while channeling mana through it."

Say'ri raises an eyebrow. "Blades of…air?"

"Sharp enough cut through armor if used correctly. The harder you swing, the sharper the blade." I explain.

Say'ri, if possible, looks at the sword in even greater awe. She eventually snaps out of her (potential) fangirling, sheathes the Windcleaver, ties it to her waist, and draws it anew.

Then she gives me a short bow. "My thanks, friend. I shall make good use of this sword."

I nod and draw Harvest Moon. "Simply treat it as if it were your own. I can tell you know how to treat a sword with proper care, and that's all the reassurance I need."

The gangway is lowered to the docks. Chrom takes the lead, cape billowing majestically (still haven't figured out how that works) and faces the Valmese soldiers with a steely gaze.

"The battle is nigh. Attack!"

BGM: March to Deliverance, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia music

First things first: establish a parameter around our landing point so we can actually deploy our troops and establish some kind of presence on the battlefield.

"Hot d-mn, coming through!" *Shing! Boom!*

Oh, nice opening move, Basilio. Bulldozing into enemy ranks and scaring them senseless definitely gets the job done. It only takes half a dozen swings from the clearly vindictive Warrior to give the rest of us enough space to spread out and join the offensive. Most importantly, our cavalry gets the space they need to really get going.

"Come get some!"

"Don't forget about me!"

Case in point, Sully and Stahl capitalize on Basilio's initial attack to pierce a hole through the enemy ranks. And just like that, there's an opening through the thick shell that lets us strike at the soft underbelly.

Kjelle glances at Yarne.

"Shall we?"

The half-taguel punches his fists together with a grin. "Let's tear through them!"

Kjelle takes point in that double team and charges shield first at a pair of Knights. The impact knocks them off-balance long enough for Yarne to land a haymaker that knocks the first one on his back. The other Knight gets no time to retaliate as Kjelle keeps charging and shoving her shield at him. A particularly hard blow leaves him staggering, only for him to stumble forward from a kick in the back from Yarne. The sudden shift in motion leaves him helpless to stop his stumbling right onto Kjelle's lance.

Noire constantly moves around to keep a distance from a trio of Mercenaries chasing her down. She manages to find the time to Trace an arrow or two, which get tripled through her weapon, but not enough time to make something truly potent. The Mercenaries manage to corner her against the edge of the docks.

Noire looks around in panic. "Oh no! What should I do?! What should I do?! Um… Um… Blood and thunder!"

The Mercenaries get caught off-guard as the Archer's whole demeanor changes from timid to bloodthirsty in an instant. That shock costs them, as Noire Traces a huge Battle Axe and, rather than changing it into an arrow, simply swings at the sellswords instead with reckless abandon. Their hurried attempt to get some distance and reengage Noire gets foiled as they get pelted by Wind spells from Laurent.

"Hey, where did all this paper come from?" one of the Mercenaries asks confused as he notices all the notes stuck on him and his comrades.

"Heck if I know!" another one shouts. "But this d-mn paper won't come off! It's almost as if I'm getting slower with it sticking to me!"

The third grins. "Slowing down because of some paper? You're losing your edge, old- Huh?"

The Mercenaries realize too late that they are actually slowing down. That's when Noire gets close enough with her axe raised and ready to smash someone's head in.

"Don't mess with a girl with an axe!" *Krang!*

The middle Mercenary gets a face full of heavy, metallic death. The other two Mercenaries are enveloped in flames shortly afterwards.

Norie dispels the Battle Axe with a tired sigh. "Thank you for the help, Laurent."

The Mage gives Noire a friendly nod. "It is only natural to help an ally in battle. What's more, I believe I have found a new use for the Slow spell."

Seeing as we have the momentum and are gaining ground, I scan the battlefield for Say'ri. Now, where…

Ah, there she is. Girl's doing well for her first time fighting with us. My old Windcleaver practically sings as she swings the lethal blade through the air. I note that her fighting style revolves around dodging or parrying and then retaliating in a single smooth motion. Defense, offense, defense, offense. It's like seeing a swinging pendulum in motion, only more complex.

She does run into trouble in the form of a Great Knight, however. The mounted soldier makes full use of his longer Steel Lance to keep Say'ri at bay while steadily pushing her back. Between a disadvantage in reach and a relentless opponent sitting on a relentless horse, Say'ri finds herself on the defensive.

*Clang!* "Got you covered!"

Good thing Flavia's nearby. The reigning khan deflects a lance thrust with her arm guard and pushes the Great Knight back far enough to give Say'ri some breathing room. One moment is all she needs. The Swordmaster rushes our from behind Flavia and flanks the Great Knight. Now it's the Great Knight's turn to block with his shield. The blows rain down, but the valmese holds firm under Say'ri's assault while keeping a wary eye on Flavia. He manages to time deflecting a thrust from Say'ri and pushes her back before he winds up for a lance thrust. That's when Say'ri stands her ground and swings down hard.

*Shing!* "Guh!"

The Great Knight gets caught flatfooted as Say'ri sends a windblade right into his armored chest. Judging from the thin line of red coming from the distinct slash mark on the breastplate, it's safe to assume Say'ri managed to cut through his armor.

And that's when Flavia comes down with a brutal overhead swing and splits clean through his helmet and his head.

Say'ri releases a breath. "Mercy, friend."

Flavia flips some hair over her shoulder. "Anytime, sister. Happy to help."

Looks like she can handle herself against opponents of this level.

"Where are you looking!" a Knight shouts as he charges me. I shove his lance aside with Harvest Moon, jump over his shield, and land behind him with Harvest Moon at his neck. And pull.

*Shing*

The decapitated Knight collapses on the ground. Sigh. This is so easy it's almost boring. Though I suppose it's better than constantly being pushed to my limits and generally hardly contributing at all. Besides, I've got more enemies coming my way. Good thing I have a trusted ally nearby.

I step close to my son. "Ready, Morgan?"

Morgan raises his lightsaber. "Ready, Father."

My son and I leap headfirst into the enemy ranks. I lead the charge with a Rasengan in hand.

*Boom!*

We land on the small impact crater I blasted into the cobblestone, and go to town on our enemies from there. Thanks to both of us using Mind's eye, we can swing around as recklessly as we want without fearing that we'll hit each other. Which is good, considering how sharp Harvest Moon is, and I have no doubt Morgan's lightsaber is potent in its own right.

I rush a Mage and swing low at his legs before I pivot. Moments later, Morgan jumps over me and follows up with an overhead swing. With my back turned to my son, I make a wide horizontal swing all around me. Morgan backflips over the swing and turns in midair before he stabs a Cavalier in the shoulder. Then he kicks off the Cavalier's side as I come in with a full circle swing than ends with me stabbing Harvest Moon's blade in the cobble stone. I heave myself over the shaft and drop kick a Mercenary, and simultaneously dodge an Elthunder spell that Morgan launches at a Knight. Both Morgan and I turn around and charge each other.

*Bzm! Shing!*

We stop back-to-back on opposite sides. In front of me, a Fighter falls to the ground in two pieces. Another one does the same in front of Morgan.

We both turn around and high-five.

"Now that's teamwork!" I say with a proud grin.

Morgan matches my grin. "With tactics to tip the scales!"

"Nah! Look out!" we hear Cherche shout.

Morgan and I look to where we heard the Wyvern Rider shout. While Cherche herself is busy with a General, Nah has a hard time against a Dark Mage who keeps flinging Elwind spells her way. While I have no doubt she could normally handle herself, I notice how my niece keeps swaying back and forth with a spaced-out look in her eyes.

Curses! Looks like the drug hasn't been completely flushed out of her system yet!

"I'll help Nah! You go assist Cherche!" I tell Morgan.

"Got it!"

Good thing I still kept the shield I, ahem, borrowed from the Paladin earlier. This should come in handy in helping my niece. All I have to do is pull out the shield, take aim…

...and YEET!

*Whang!*

"It is written in the Book of honorable dudes: Thou shalt not abuse the loli!" I yell while pointing at the downed Dark Mage.

"I don't think he can hear you, Jack-sensei." Cynthia points out as she lands beside the unstable Nah. "Come on, Nah. Let's get you back to the ship for more bedrest."

"Ride horsey…" the half-manakete slurs as Cynthia places her on Deku and takes off.

Glad that's taken care of. There's more soldiers coming in from the port town, likely because Say'ri's gone, and they can therefore focus all their strength on fighting us.

Hm… There's a Paladin without a shield among their ranks. He looks familiar.

Said Paladin spots me, and sees red.

"GEEET HIIIIIM!"

Oh, it's that guy. Thought I recognized him.

Robin sidles up to me, Levin Sword in hand. "Jack, what did you do after you left the ship?"

I shrug. "I might've drawn the ire of a good portion of their troops stationed here and led them on a wild goose chase through half the town before I denied them the satisfaction of capturing me. Oh, and I stole that guy's shield while I was at it."

My wife raises an eyebrow. "That explains the lack of shield."

It says a lot about Robin's mental fortitude in that she took the whole "wild goose chase" part without any issue. She's come a long way.

Oh, right. I've got a pissed off Paladin charging at me with Silver Lance in hand and murder in his eyes. Can't forget about him. Or his buddies trying their hardest to keep up.

Robin and I meet them head-on and split up a few paces before contact. The Paladin, predictably, goes after me and swings his lance. I jump over the swing and hook Harvest Moon's blade against the shaft of the Silver Lance. That lets me swing around the polearm before I pin it in place with one foot and pivot on it to send the other in the Paladin's face. I float down gently to the ground as the rider drops his weapon and crashes on the ground. Impressively enough, he's soon back on his feet and draws the Steel Sword kept at his side. I shrug before I shift Harvest Moon into a sword as well, get in a stance, and make a come-hither motion.

*Clang!*

For someone who's clearly enraged, this Paladin shows a remarkable amount of restraint. Sure, he's pissed at me, but not to the point that he swings at me in a blind rage. His form is actually good for a rank-and-file soldier.

Still leagues behind mine and Lon'qu's though.

*Shing!*

"Guh! Gahah…"

The Paladin collapses from a deep gash right across his gut. He falls to the ground, cleaved Steel Sword still clutched tightly in his hand.

Meanwhile, Robin's sending lightning bolts with deadly precision at a pair of Fighters. Judging from how twitchy their movements are, they've taken some heavy punishment at this point. One of them try their luck and manage a zig-zag maneuver before he comes close to my wife and aims a horizontal swing.

That's when his nerves act up at the worst possible moment and he freezes in his wind-up motion. He gets a point-blank Elfire spell in his face for his trouble.

That's also when I notice a Warrior standing a few paces behind those soldiers, with his bow aimed at my wife right where the flames obscure her line of sight.

I point my free hand at Robin and pull her to me with Telekinesis. She gives of a surprised yelp as she literally flies backwards and into my embrace. Moments later, she notices the arrow fly where her chest was.

Robin turns around smiling. "Thanks for the save."

I smile back. "Any time, Robin. Now how about we tag team them?"

Robin smirks as she readies her sword in one hand and her tome in the other. "My thoughts exactly."

As we charge to meet the remaining Valmese soldiers head-on, I ready a wind spell for my wife.

"Get ready to jump!" I shout and cast it on the ground where she's about to run.

The vortex of air that I made gives Robin a big enough boost to jump clear over the Valmese soldiers while dropping an Elthunder spell on their heads in the process. The moment the spell ends, I speed up and weave in between their ranks while slashing in every direction I can manage. I slide to a stop on the opposite side as my wife lands.

Robin concentrates her mana into her Levin Sword, causing the lightning bolt to stick to the blade and increase its length instead of shooting out as it normally does. Meanwhile, I slap the ground for a quick Transmutation.

"Let 'em have it!" I shout as the sparks travel along the ground.

The ground under their feet heaves up in a jerking motion, sending the Valmese soldiers still alive up in the air and completely defenseless as Robin raises the lightning coated sword.

*Krzzt!*

The blade of pure lightning grows until reaches the rooftops. A single swing fries the remaining enemy soldiers with the expected cracking sound of a lighting strike. They all fall to the ground charred, twitching and, most importantly, dead.

I give Robin a thumbs-up. "We should do this more often."

My wife giggles. "As if we don't spend almost all our time outside of battle together already."

BGM ends

Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy approaching!

My eye twitches at the alert. Just as I have a moment with my wife, the big bad finally decides to show up? Seriously, the valmese have the worst timing ever.


Farber Lvl 46 Class: Dark Knight


"Long live the emperor! Death to all who oppose him!"

Oh, great. And it's one of those generic boss types to boot. Can this guy get any more cliché?

I sigh and shift Harvest Moon into scythe form. "Let's just get this over with. These guys are getting tiring."

"Hang on, Jack-sensei! Let us handle this one!" I hear Cynthia shout.

I turn around and, lo and behold, the Pegasus Knight is back with Lucina and Cynthia in tow.

Severa raises an eyebrow. "Remind me why we're doing this?"

Cynthia gives off a megawatt grin. "Because this is the perfect for us to show Sensei how far we've come! Besides, aren't you curious about how well our teamwork holds up?"

"I'm sensing a backstory." I point out.

"The three of us learned to work together as a result of growing up in the same home." Lucina explains. "We learned to apply this in battle long before we came back in time. However, it's been a long time since we joined together like this."

Severa flips a pigtail over her shoulder. "Hmph. I suppose I could give it a shot. This guy doesn't look that strong compared to what we've gone up against before on our own, and now it's all three of us."

Cynthia pumps her fist. "Yeah! Let's show Jack-sensei our very own Triangle Attack! Sound the call, Luci!"

Severa gives the Pegasus Knight a dry look. "You're still going on about that Justice Cabal schtick? We're not kids anymore, Cynthia."

Cynthia puffs her cheeks. "Hey! No one disses the Justice Cabal! Least of all a founding member!"

The redheaded princess's eyebrow twitches. "That was years ago! I'm not putting up with it any longer!"

"We might as well humor her, Severa." Lucina sighs. "You know Cynthia is more cooperative if she's motivated. And nothing motivates her more than the cause of the Justice Cabal."

"Fine." Severa huffs. "But if we end up humiliating ourselves in front of the whole army, I'm blaming you two."

Farber scowls at the three girls. "You children think of this as some game? This is war! Surrender now, or your lives will be forfeit!"

Severa rolls her eyes as she draws Laevateinn. "Ugh. Could you get any more predictable with your lines? We haven't even started, and I'm already losing interest in this battle."

Lucina hardens her features as she draws Parallel Falchion. "Best be on your guard, Severa. This is an officer in the Valmese army. We cannot afford to take him lightly."

"Yeah, yeah. Underestimating you opponent will get you killed and all that. I know."

Lucina and Severa crouch in matching battle stances while Cynthia takes to the skies.

"Sisters, form up!" Lucina commands. "Attack formation Delta!"

BGM: Passion of the tridental mages (vs three Mage-sisters), Kirby: Star Allies music

Lucina takes the lead and charges Farber head-on. The Dark Knight draws his Silver Sword and kicks his horse into action. The charge meets an abrupt end as Cynthia descends on him like a hawk, lance first.

*Clang!*

Farber grunts at the force of the blow, but manages to hold fast. That's when Lucina reaches him and leaps to swing at the Valmese rider directly. Farber responds by having his horse rear back on its hooves and thrash at Lucina while pushing Cynthia away at the same time.

"Ugh, move, Lucina!" Severa shouts as she slips in from her sister's right.

Farber deflects Severa's swing and smoothly switches to retaliation moments later to make use of the brief opening he forced on the redhead.

"Forget about me?" Lucina shouts as she blocks the swing.

That's when Cynthia returns for another attack run. Unlike last time, green sparks dance along her Steel Lance.

"Here I come~!"

Farber pulls his horse away and gets some distance from the female trio. Cynthia thrusts her lance at his previous location moments later with enough force to shatter some of the cobblestone.

Farber's entire posture changes at this point. Quite reasonable, since it's clear the three girls make for a strikingly good team. The girls in question retake their positions, ready for the next exchange.

Farber reaches behind his back and pulls out an Arcfire tome. The arcane book is flipped open with its pages glowing bright red.

Lucina's eyes widen. "Scatter!"

Moments later, flames swirl to life at their position. Farber keeps casting Elfire spells with pinpoint accuracy and tries to score a hit on either Lucina or Severa. Fortunately for the girls, Lucina's Wavedash gives her just enough mobility to dodge the conjured flames while Severa manages to use her own Fire mastery to tank the spells with little effort.

Seeing as he's got the sisters handled, Farber directs his attention at Cynthia. The Dark Knight frowns in thought before he kicks his horse into motion again. The horse gallops over the cobblestone, jumps on a few crates and, to everyone's shock, takes to a nearby rooftop. From there, Farber commands his horse to jump, putting him at the same height as Cynthia.

And that's while he's got both hands occupied with weapons and no hands on the reins. The only thing holding him in the saddle is immense legwork used on the tread cover.

The Valmese commander swings his sword at Cynthia, backed with the inertia of an entire horse at full speed.

*Clang!* "Eep!"

The swing is so powerful and unanticipated that Cynthia ends up being flung off her pegasus and into the town.

"Cynthia!" Lucina shouts in alarm.

"Don't worry, she can take it. I've seen her hurt herself harder during training." Severa assures her sister.

Farber's horse lands back on the ground. "If you have time to worry for your comrade, then take the time to worry for yourselves!" the rider shouts.

Rune circles appear over the pages of Farber's tome again as he makes a new charge at the sisters. Severa slides in front of Lucina and braces herself for another fire spell.

Farber raises his tome skywards. "Arcthunder!"

"Wait, wha-" *Krzzt!* "Gah!"

Severa falls to her knees as she gets blindsided by the lightning spell. Lucina's eyes widen in alarm again before she focuses on Farber and hardens her gaze. The elder princess dashes past Severa and rears Parallel Falchion back. Some six paces from Farber, Lucina jumps and aims the sword at his chest.

Farber responds with another brutal swing that stops Lucina's attack on the dot and makes the princess stumble backwards. That's when she notices a red rune circle glow under her feet.

Lucina's Eye of the exalt flares to life.

*Fwoom!* *Ching, ching, ching, ching!*

The boost in reaction speed helps Lucina parry the Elfire spell cast at her. Unfortunately, the flames also obscure her vision. By the time they disperse, Farber is already in front of her mid-swing.

"Hah!" *Clang!*

Due to her timing being disrupted, Lucina misses the timeframe for the parry and drops Parallel Falchion due to the resulting sloppy block instead.

Her problems only get bigger as Farber turns his horse around to have the mount kick Lucina away. By the time she stops rolling on the ground, Farber's tome already glows brighter than before due to him chanting an aria.

"Meet your maker! Arcfire!"

A massive torrent of flames erupts from the rune circle that appears before the Dark Knight. Lucina only has time to get up on her knees as she sees the fire spell approach and finds herself frozen in shock.

*Fwoom!*

"Ghhh!"

"Severa?!"

Lucina stumbles back upright in shock at seeing her sister place herself in front of her and shield her from certain death by fire magic. Judging from the sparks jumping across the redhead's body, the lighting spell is still affecting her.

"Wipe that smile off!" Severa grunts through the pain as she staves off the Arcfire spell. A few seconds later, the flames stop trying to fry the princesses and seemingly wrap themselves around Laevateinn instead.

Farber's eyes widen in shock. "Impossible… This girl is more skilled in fire magic than I?!"

"This girl is about to school you in how you're really supposed to combine swordplay with magic, you dunce." Severa replies as she brandishes Laevateinn and dashes at Farber.

The flames enveloping Laevateinn gives Severa an extra bit of reach, which is enough to stop Farber's swordplay. Adding to that is that her fighting style is so relentless that Farber finds himself unable to focus and cast spells properly.

Meanwhile, Lucina looks around for Parallel Falchion, but seems to have little success in locating the divine sword.

"Luci! Catch!"

Lucina looks in the direction the voice came from and catches a Steel Lance thrown at her. Cynthia's back in action and has her Savage Lynel Crusher out. A whistle, and she back on her pegasus and in the sky again. Lucina hardens her features and twirls the Steel Lance a few times before she runs back into the fray.

Huh… I didn't know Lucina had gained Polearm mastery. She must've trained with Sumia and her mother while I was away. And judging from how well she handles the lance, she's put a considerable amount of practice into that form.

As Severa notices her allies return to her side, the Mercenary kicks it up a notch in her clash against Farber.

"Time to end this! You're boring me!"

Severa swipes at the legs of Farber's horse, which gets dodged. Right after the swing, Severa jumps into the air and brings down the tip of Laevateinn at the Dark Knight.

*Shink!*

Farber manages to dodge that strike as well. Before he can retaliate, Severa pulls Laevateinn out of the ground and repeats her attempts at skewering Farber on her burning blade. Farber manages to dodge each attempt, but every time the cycle repeats itself, he notices that cobblestones get stuck on the blade as Severa pulls the sword out. And, as heavy as those stones are, Severa seems to swing the sword with the extra weight with little trouble. Instead, the golden weapon only becomes a different kind of dangerous as the sword gradually turns into a crude bludgeon – and the stones catch fire as well!

Severa has about half a dozen burning stones impaled on Laevateinn when she jumps into the air and swings her sword hard. That flings all the stones off the sword and in an arc against Farber. The Dark Knight does his best to block the attack with sword and magic alike, but one burning stone manages to clip him on the temple, causing him to sway unsteadily on his horse.

It's at this point that Lucina catches up to the dueling pair. The blue-haired princess twirls the Steel Lance and adds both Wavedashing and L-cancels after each leap to unleash a veritable storm of stabs and swipes on Farber. Due to the hit to the head he received earlier, Farber finds himself unable to retaliate properly.

And that's when he finds himself in a shadow that keeps growing.

Cynthia descends on the Dark Knight with One for All covering her whole body in green sparks. "This is the end, friend! Thalis Smash!" *Ka-bram!*

The swing leaves a blinding flash upon impact and sends Farber skidding back. By the time his horse manages to stop, his right arm hangs limply at his side.

Severa moves Laevateinn in a circular motion that stops with the tip pointing up. The redhead takes a breath before she opens her eyes to reveal a steely gaze.

"My turn! Dragon Fang!"

Severa swings her sword down. As the swing ends, the flames enveloping the blade erupt in Farber's direction and soon morph into the shape of a snarling serpent dragon, complete with yellow glowing eyes. Farber raises his good arm and chants a fire spell to counter, but finds his magic quickly overwhelmed before he himself receives the brunt of the blazing attack.

And that's when Lucina steps up with the Eye of the exalt blazing with renewed vigor. "You will not stop me!"

The elder princess flips the Steel Lance, takes aim and hurls the polearm with a war cry. The lance flies through the flames and nails Farber in the chest so hard that he falls off his horse.

BGM ends

"I may fall…but we are legion… You cannot stop…the Conqueror…" Farber groans before he goes limp.

Farber has been killed!
Lucina has leveled up! Severa has leveled up! Cytnhia has leveled up!

"Mercy, friends! The tales of your strength were no exaggeration…" Say'ri exclaims in disbelief. "Come. We have much to talk about."

Robin nods. "All right. But let's make sure everyone gets to land in the harbor first. We need to set up a base of operations before we can even begin to organize anything else."

The Swordmaster nods. "Of course."


I approach Lucina with Parallel Falchion in hand. "Here, Lucina. I noticed you've been looking for this for a while now."

Lucina breaths out in relief as she reclaims her sword. "Thank you, Master Jack. I feared I'd never find it again. By the way, where did it land?"

"In a pile of crates near the docks, of all places. What's even weirder was that the crates got all smashed from the impact." I grin jokingly. "Heh. Even when it's no longer in Chrom's hands, that sword still manages to wreck stuff. How there are no records of the Hero-King wielding Falchion without accidentally wrecking a castle or two in the process, I'll probably never know."

Lucina raises an eyebrow. "I doubt King Marth would ever wield the sacred blade in such a crude fashion. Besides, what makes you think such records could even exist?"

I shrug. "Considering how Chrom wields the sword and the fact that I've seen you smash a wall or two during your practice as well, I figured it runs in the family. I mean, I've seen Severa hit a man so hard, he flew right through a castle wall."

"That was ONE TIME, Sensei!" the red-haired princess yells exasperated.

I chuckle before I raise an eyebrow at Lucina. "So… Care to tell me more about this "Justice Cabal" thing?"

Lucina rubs her arm nervously. "Um… Well…"

"It's a little something Luci and Sevvy made up with me back when we had just started training under you, Jack-sensei." Cynthia explains. "Since we were all children of the Shepherds, we thought it'd be cool if everyone from our generation could form a band to fight evil and protect the innocents too. Gotta hand over the mantle to the next generation at some point, right?" Cynthia grins. "That was Sevvy's idea."

Severa's face turns as red as her hair as she crosses her arms and looks away. "It- I was a child back then, okay?"

"And the name of your band?" I inquire.

Cynthia's grin reaches megawatt levels. "That was my idea! We couldn't go call ourselves "the second Shepherds" or anything like that. That would be too predictable. We needed something that highlighted our cause, something to truly inspire the people we would protect and strike fear in the hearts of our enemies!"

I give the Pegasus Knight a dry look. "And so, you came up with the "Justice Cabal"…"

Cynthia nods, completely oblivious to my disbelief. "I mean, couldn't just announce our identities to the whole world all the time. Part of a secret organization of heroes is keeping the identities of the members secret to all but a select few trusted ones outside, right?"

If possible, the look I'm giving Cynthia gets even dryer. I dread the day the girl discovers the Justice league, Avengers, X-men, etcetera, so on and so forth…

"Of course, Luci had to be our leader." the Pegasus Knight continues. "She's always been good at taking charge and making things work. Must have it from her father."

"What, and I don't?" Severa growls.

Cynthia waves her childhood friend's ire off. "Oh, you're reliable too, Sevvy. Gods know how many times you've saved my bacon."

"Mostly because you just can't stay out of trouble." the redhead mutters.

Lucina sighs with an awkward smile. "Be that as it may, when Severa and Cynthia presented the idea to me, I was a bit sceptic at first, of course. But as the days went by, I just couldn't get rid of the thought. It just sounded to good to pass up. So in the end, the three of us agreed to form our very own secret band of heroes. Thinking back, it may have mostly been out of a childish desire to be like our parents – or at least like the way we saw them. Heroic. Noble. Brave. We wanted to be like that. And before we knew it, others in our generation caught wind of our secret and eventually became members themselves."

Severa rubs her temples. "Not exactly easy to keep a secret band of kid heroes secret when so many of us were gathered in the same spot. I still can't believe our parents never suspected anything for years. And what gave it away? A paper trail left behind by Laurent. LAURENT! The guy's obsessed with tidiness, and he's the one who ultimately blew our cover."

Lucina gives her sister a pleading look. "Severa, could you please let it go? Laurent has been lamenting his carelessness that day ever since. There's no need to further remind him of his blunder. Besides, when our parents eventually found out about our secrets, they welcomed it."

"Not after we spent a full week arguing with them about the whole thing." Severa counters. "And that's after they were done hunting Sensei down."

"And how do I fit into the picture?" I ask in disbelief.

Cynthia shuffles her feet. "That…might've been because of me."

I narrow my eyes. "Explain. Now."

Cynthia gulps. "Well, I thought: every hero needs an origin story, right? Some were born into a grand destiny, while some simply chose to take action at the right time. But no matter where they come from, every hero needs a mentor to train under so they can fulfill their duty. And since you were already training everyone in our generation, I figured you fit the bill perfectly. So I…kind of named you the Grandmaster of Justice without you knowing."

"And your parents found out about that, connected whatever dots they could think of, and placed all the blame on me." I conclude flatly.

"To be fair, all of this would end up becoming our saving grace." Lucina points out. "When the Fell dragon rose, the Shepherds fell one by one. I knew the name of the Hero-King would inspire the people greatly, but as great as King Marth was, he was only one man, as was I. Like him, I would need an army to fight the calamity."

Cynthia's all smiles and pep again. "And that's how the rest of us signed up to join Luci. We had already formed our band of heroes in our childhood. It was finally time to fulfill our sworn duty for real."

"A "sworn duty" that we took up as kids without knowing any better." Severa reminds her friend with an eyeroll.

"Aw, don't be like that, Severa. It worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"No, it did NOT!" Severa yells back. "That's the whole reason we're back in time in the first place! We couldn't fight Grima head-on, so we had to go back to a time before that monster got as powerful as it did!"

Lucina nods. "Which is why it is so important for us to find our remaining comrades. I fear we will need every capable fighter we can get when the time eventually comes to prevent the Fell dragon's return." The eldest princess rubs her arm. "If only I knew where to find them."

Cynthia places a hand on Lucina's shoulder. "We'll find them, Luci. You'll see." The Pegasus Knight grins at me. "And this time, we have our very own Grandmaster of Justice to guide us along the way, just like old times!"

"Please stop calling me that." I mutter. "I didn't even sign up for this "Justice Cabal" schtick."

By learning of future events, you have earned a new title! You gained the title "Grandmaster of Justice"!


Say'ri gives a short bow to Chrom. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am called Say'ri, and I fight with the Resistance."

Chrom raises an eyebrow in surprise. "So there is an organized resistance?"

Say'ri nods. "Aye, of sorts. Several groups formed to seek liberty for the states of Valm."

Chrom rubs his chin. "I thought the emperor had stamped out all dissenters…"

Say'ri allows a small smirk. "He tries, but we Resistance are a slippery lot. We strike hard and then vanish again into the dark of night. Even now rebels ride to the banner of dynasts across the continent. United, we could pose a veritable threat to Walhart. And so, for some time I have struggled to bring us together."

Flavia frowns. "What's stopping you?"

Say'ri sighs. "Greed. Jealousy. Sloth. All the old weaknesses of man. The dynasts all would have freedom, but on their own terms. Some refuse to take up arms unless their territory is threatened. Others thrive under the Conqueror's heel and will not join unless there is profit in it. Liberty is a fine word, aye, but not always enough to rouse men from foolishness."

I facepalm and groan. "In other words, politics. Why is the deciding factor stopping major changes always freakin' POLITICS?! I get that it's important to manage how things are run in a country, but the lengths almost every single ruler is willing to go to have their way at the expense of the greater good is absurd. Can't we just assassinate the lot of them, put someone actually competent and responsible in their place, and then try to organize this resistance of yours?"

The others look at me with varying degrees of shock, disbelief, and horror.

I shrug. "What? Don't tell me the thought never crossed your mind. If it's obvious that the current head honcho in charge is just being a hindrance for the right thing, you're all better off without him sitting on his overgrown behind and instead replace him with someone who can actually do the blasted job and not screw everyone else over for the sake of personal profit. Seriously, there's a reason why concentrating all the political power on one person has a long history of backfiring spectacularly. Power corrupts. If you don't divide it among a few people to create a balance of sorts, it's only a matter of time before the current ruler turns into a self-centered moron and drags his whole country with him to Hell. Chosen by the gods to rule, my foot…"

Robin pokes me on the forehead. "Jack, we are not here to push our views on politics onto another country, no matter how much we disagree with the current system. We have a war to fight. Besides, going with your plan would make us no better than the empire."

I cross my arms and puff my cheeks. "Tell that to the poor commoners toiling under some man-child of a lord who doesn't even try to understand what's going on outside his gaudy mansion, all while his vassals leech off his riches behind his back."

My wife gives me a dry look. "Surely your opinion of the nobility isn't that low."

"Case in point: Gaston Ferros." I counter. "Doesn't exactly help that the impression I get from Say'ri's story only reinforces my argument about said nobles of this continent. You'd be surprised how many ministers there are who slip the occasional boon or two into their pockets when they think no one's watching, only to blame everyone else when the whole system collapses because they're the ones who ended up robbing the system of everything."

Robin's look gets even dryer. "I've taken part in some of the meetings that Emmeryn usually holds with various nobles from all across Ylisse. Trust me. I know."

I raise an eyebrow. "And the reason why you don't call out on their asinine schemes?"

"One: I don't have enough evidence to expose them in front of Emmeryn, no matter how badly I want to. Two: The resources I need if I wanted to conduct an investigation are needed elsewhere. Three…" My wife smirks. "Why waste time on proving what everybody already knows, when I can simply return the favor and rob them of more than they took without anyone being the wiser? I'm the head tactician of the whole halidom for a reason."

I blink in disbelief before I grin. "You sly vixen. You are among the most terrifying women I know, and it only makes me love you more. My hat's off for you, my love."

Robin flips some hair behind her shoulder with a triumphant smirk. "And I can do it all while sitting behind a desk."

My grin turns predatory. "And if anyone tries to stop you with force, I can retaliate with even greater force before they know what's happening."

Robin's smirk turns downright devilish. "Oh, the things we could accomplish if we decided cut all ties and start a coup." Then she shakes her head with a fond smile. "Which is the exact reason why I have no intentions of rising to power. I know fully well you would support me in anything I'd set my mind to, even if it meant that I'm trying to create my very own empire."

The predatory gleam in my grin vanishes. "Ah, phooey. Well, at least I know you have a plan in case relations with House Ylisse sour."

"I always have a plan, Jack." Robin points out smugly (but not without basis).

"I know, my dear. I know."

Flavia coughs into her fist. "Riiight. Ignoring the potential impact those two could have on politics across the whole world if left unchecked, I take it you're looking for a more convincing argument to unite this "Resistance" of yours, are you, Say'ri?"

"Just so." Say'ri confirms. "Although my efforts thus far have met with meager success. I fear many distrust me because my brother fights for Walhart."

Basilio scratches his head bewildered. "Why does he support the empire?"

Say'ri clenches her fist and grits her teeth. "Would that I knew, good sir. Yen'fay was a good man once, but he is my brother no more! If we meet on the battlefield, I would cut him down, same as any other imperial."

Ouch. If Yen'fay ever learned Say'ri said that, it'd be a hard emotional blow on him. Sure, the man has the mental fortitude to match a mountain, but even the greatest rock can be ground to dust if chipped long enough.

"Walhart is said to command a million men now. Perhaps more." the Swordmaster continues. "Sooner or later he will stamp out the Resistance entirely, if we do not unite."

Lissa's jaw hits the ground. "Um, Chrom? Did she just say he has a MILLION soldiers?!"

"Ha! And what are one million men against the Ylissean dogs of war?! You stopped a thousand of their ships, did you not?" Say'ri retorts. "Your daring strategy has awoken and inspired people across all of Valm. Together we can yet unite the Resistance and break Walhart's grip!"

Several of us sweatdrop at Say'ri's reasoning.

"I'm gonna have to stop you there, Say'ri." I interject. "As famous as we are after the last war, thinking that we can defeat a million men with our ranks alone is stretching it. While I know I can defeat my fair share of the imperial ranks, I can't speak for my allies – not even my wife. And she's terrifying on an entirely different level."

It's not like we're all characters in a Dynasty Warriors game, where any character worth getting named can easily defeat over a thousand enemies within 15 minutes by running around and swinging their weapon like a loon without taking so much as a scratch.

FE Warriors notwithstanding.

Say'ri shakes her head. "Be that as it may, you are my only hope to unite the Resistance and have a fighting chance against the empire." Then she gets down on her knees and bows to Chrom. "Help me, Prince Chrom! I beg of you!"

Frederick frowns in thought. "Milord?"

Chrom crosses his arms and closes his eyes to think. "This is no easy thing you ask of me. I have my own causes: a halidom to save and a future to win. I know a great battle has been foretold, but is this it? How to know?" Chrom opens his eyes and nods. "Still I admire you courage… Perhaps your mission is the best way to achieve mine. So yes, Say'ri. I will join my cause with your own. And if I'm wrong, it's my life on the line."

"…As it should be." Chrom adds silently for himself.

The prince gets a few looks that range from quizzical (Say'ri) to concerned (everyone else).

"Now. What will it take to unite your people?" Chrom presses on.

Say'ri gets up from her kneeling. "Well, I do have one idea… Since ancient times, many of our people have worshipped Naga. More precisely, we worship the divine dragon's oracle, Lady Tiki. Though most know her only as the Voice. The Voice is trapped in her temple as Walhart's prisoner. But if she were freed…"

Robin perks up as she catches on. "The Resistance could unite around her. Where is the Voice being held?"

"There is a shrine built in the branches of the divine Mila Tree. She is confined there." Say'ri reveals.

Chrom nods resolutely. "Then we have our plan. As soon as we establish a base here in Valm, we set out for that tree."


Quest alert:
Main quest: Smoldering resistance
While establishing a foothold on the Valmese continent, a Swordmaster named Say'ri informs that Walhart's empire isn't as unchallenged as it might've first seemed. Pockets of resistance have sprung up all over the continent – enough to match the empire's strength should they unite. But with an overwhelming army at his command and the Resistance disorganized, it's only a matter of time before the Conqueror crushes the last obstacle and makes his rule over the continent absolute. Your best bet to unite the Resistance into a cohesive unit is to call them to a banner that all can gather under; the Voice of Naga. Free the Voice, and the Resistance as a whole should (theoretically) side with you.
Objective: Defeat all Valmese soldiers. Don't let Say'ri die.
All objectives cleared!
Rewards: You gained 15 000 EXP! You gained 15 000 gold!

To be continued


Preview of the next chapter:

Say'ri: We must round the continent? Why?

Flavia: It's that, or we travel the main roads that are most likely packed with imperials. We'll be spotted and outnumbered within days.

*Camera shows the Shepherds climbing a mountain range*

Robin: Now, if only we didn't have to climb this blasted mountain! Why are mountains so steep?!

Chrom: That's the least of our concerns. Look.

*Grimleal pop up everywhere on an old fortress*

Grimleal: All hail Master Grima!

Lucina: So that's why the nearby villages are so empty. You fiends! How many lives have you slaughtered in the name of that monster?!

Grimleal: How many cups of tea have you had in your life?

Inigo: And that's my cue to swoop in, kill these crazy cultists, and impress the ladies.

Virion: Ah, a fellow man of culture, I see.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

Inigo's bizarre adventure! Your next words will be: "I smell a JoJo's reference"!

Jack: I smell a- Hey, what's the big idea?!

Rose: Wry.


Omake: The Book of honorable dudes, Preface

"Hm? What's that book, Dad?" Rose asks Jack curiously.

The Reaper looks up from the pages he's reading to address his daughter. "Oh, this? A little something I picked up during my travels. I had no idea such a title even existed, but lo and behold, it turned out to be a diamond in the rough. Hub worlds like Traverse Town have some interesting stuff for sale."

Rose leans down to get a glimpse of the cover.

"The Book of honorable dudes?" the Dark Mage reads with a raised eyebrow.

Jack nods. "A book that any male should read from the day they come of age. I dare say the world would be a better place if they did. We'd have fewer jerks running about, for starters."

Rose gives her father a skeptic look. "It can't be that influential, could it?"

Jack smiles, bookmarks the page he's at and hands the book to Rose. "Why don't you read it yourself? If anything, it should be a good indicator what to look for in a man if you ever want to get married."

"Not if you send him running for the hills first." Rose mutters and flips the cover open.


The term "dude" is, by its nature, a very loose definition that seeks to encompass the male population as a whole from the start of adolescence to an age in which a man is considered a geezer. Even then, there are recorded cases of men well in their 80's who have shown personality traits typically seen in a standard dude not even a third of their age. The reason this term is so loose and attempts to encompass so many males is quite simple; despite the label of "dude", the ones carrying it are individual people as well, and therefore have unique personalities that come with them (contrary to what others may claim).

Defining what makes a "dude" is therefore by no means a simple task. Strictly speaking, the definition is largely up to the individual in question to decide on his own. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, including this one. People who are close to him can identify him as a dude based on his actions and personality even though he himself either denies it or is oblivious altogether. The opposite is a possible scenario as well, though tends to be more tragic for various reasons regarding the man's maturity. More on this in chapter 16: "What makes a man".

Building on the fact that each dude is a living and unique individual at his core, it's a widely known fact that dudes come in all shapes and kinds, all with a moral compass adjusted according to their experiences in life. Just like normal people. Even so, it's acknowledged among males in many cultures that there is one thing that every man needs; honor.

Like the concept of dudes, the term "honor" is notoriously difficult to grasp, mainly because what is considered admirable, and should therefore be strived for, varies greatly depending on which culture in which this question is asked.

Despite these variances and disparities, decades of research and copious amounts of interviews with males universally recognized as exemplary dudes has allowed psychologists (of varying degrees of professional ability) to boil down what dudes in general would consider an acceptable and universal code of honor that they can call their own. The reasons for why this research was conducted in the first place are many and is further addressed in chapter 3: "How one woman's frustration with her boyfriend spurred the greatest undertaking in male psychological research since cracking the bro code".

If you are reading this book, you are either a dude who wishes to learn the honorable ways for various reasons, or a female who wants to figure out how an honorable dude works. Regardless, we wish that the words written within these pages will help you understand dudes in general better while also inspiring you to become a better person. That is, after all, the main purpose of this book.

Sincerely, the Divine Board of Ascended Dudes, Bros and Men among men.


Rose looks up from the preface with a bewildered expression on her face. "Dad, what the heck did you pick up?"

Jack shrugs. "The contents pretty much spell out everything you need to know. It's a great way to teach the younger generation of men how to integrate themselves in society without turning themselves into faceless nobodies. No one wants to be a beta male."

"Ignoring the possibility to guiding a whole future generation with just a book, what part were you reading?"

Jack is about to respond when the ground briefly shakes and a pillar of smoke is seen in the distance.

"In the name of justice, hold it right there, villain!"

"Cynthia, stop! He's almost dead!"

Jack rubs his temples. "Oh, for the love of- That's it. Next lesson with Cynthia will be entirely dedicated to teaching her restraint." As Jack heads on over to the site, he mutters under his breath. "What have I told that girl about blasting One for All at 100 % without the proper conditioning?"


Jack's encyclopedic corner:

Stoned, Status condition
Whatever got you in this state must've been some strong stuff, 'cause you are HIGH. You're in no condition to perform any complex tasks, let alone fight. The glassy-eyed empty look and unsteady posture would make you a prime target for enemy units anyway. Get a medic, and get that stuff flushed out of you, pronto!
All actions in battle become random. Reaction time is increased by 120 %. All stats decrease by 10 %.

Grandmaster of Justice, Title
This title was given to you by a child who admired you greatly and took her hero fantasy a bit too far. Nevertheless, it shows how much upstanding children look up to you. Wear your title with pride, and help the young ones grow up to follow the straight and narrow path.
Increases CHAR by 10 % when interacting with children.

Dark Knight, Class
This is a rare case of a soldier trying a bit of everything. The Dark Knight attempts to leave no possibility untouched by combining mounted combat, swordplay and magic in a single unit. As a result, these riding mages are mainly known for their surprising versatility. However, going by the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none", the Dark Knight often suffers from not excelling in any area at all. If anything, trying their hands at so many areas at once often forces them to invest a lot of their time in mastering the bare basics in each area at the expense of many other aspects. Having such a wide array of abilities to improve in a limited amount of time leads to a cumbersome arsenal to battle with. The versatility may be potent, but only if applied in the right way at the right time.
Damage dealt by swords and magic of any element increases by 5 %. Attack speed is reduced by 10 %. This unit counts as mounted.

Master Seal, Consumable, Rare
A metallic object containing an enchanted jewel in the middle. Whoever can tap into the power in the jewel gains a tremendous boost in potential and power. For this reason, this object is sought after by soldiers and mercenaries across the world and are literally worth their weight in gold for anyone practicing the martial arts. Fights spanning over entire villages have been fought with this precious object as the prize. That is, until a blacksmith worked together with a master Sage and managed to figure out how to mass produce these seals and make them more available for anyone who can afford the steep pricetag. The pair became rich. Very rich.
Upon use, allows a character with a base class to ascend to an advanced class. Available classes varies depending on the base class. This item vanishes after use.


Now I'm awfully tempted to write a miniseries based on the Book of honorable dudes just for laughs. There are two reasons as for why I'm not going through with it. For one, I want to focus all my writing on GEA to minimize distractions. Second, I feel that I simply don't have enough material to write anything substantial at the moment. While this could change over time, how that would change remains to be seen.

Let's see… Say'ri is a sword-wielding youth of noble blood, hailing (most likely) from the south of the Valmese continent. She seeks to unite an army to march to an empire to the north and defeat a big, beefy emperor clad in red armor.

In FE Echoes, Alm is a sword-wielding youth of noble blood (though he doesn't know this at first), hailing from the southern end of the Valentian continent. He seeks to unite an army to march to an empire to the north and defeat a big, beefy emperor clad in red armor.

Coincidence? I think not!

Seriously, the Valm arc has so many parallels to the story of Gaiden that it's ridiculous. That's not to say that Gaiden had a bad story. For a game whose title literally translates to "side story" in Japanese, the writing in Gaiden can easily go toe-to-toe with the story of the other FE games. If anything, the Valm arc was a great way for the developers to reference Gaiden in subtle (and not so subtle) ways, and it's one of several reasons why I like the arc, despite its awkward placement in Awakening's story.

That will be all. Until next time.

VipeR out.