"Why did you leave me all alone?" Severa whispered to herself as her tears began to dry up.

No answer followed the question as those words were stolen by the stiff air. A loud silence screamed into her ears as she sat alone. Her red swollen eyes sparkled in the glow of the fireplace as she looked down at the ruby-encrusted ring in her palm. It was warm and comforting amidst the cold unending darkness around her. After all, it was the only thing she had left of them. A symbol of her parents' love now left to her.

"I'll be back, I promise"

"I have to go in order to protect what matters most to me"

Her mother's voice rang through her head. What was the thing that mattered most to her? It had to be Chrom because it couldn't have been Morgan and especially not her. After what she had said that day, it could never be her. She snarled at the ring and tossed it across the room. Her mother didn't care. She never cared and why would she? It's the reason she left after all. She scoffed to herself. Why would anybody care about a failure like her?

"No Severa, you're my friend so I would never consider any question of yours 'stupid'"

For a moment, Severa remained silent as those words buzzed through her head. She scoffed. Yeah right, like Lucina has any reason to care about her. After all, she's the reason...

"That my parents are dead" Severa clutched her head as a cold dark voice rang through her mind. The back of her left hand flashed a bright purple light.

"It's her fault that my parents are dead " The voice repeated.

"It's her fault that my parents are dead…" Severa whispered to herself as the headache subsided and her hands slid back to her side.

For a moment, she simply sat there silent and unmoving. The back of her left hand pulsed with a faint purple glow beneath her glove. Severa shook her head. What was she saying?! Lucina had nothing to do with that though…

She shook her head again. What was wrong with her?! Why was she even having such twisted thoughts?! Her eyes then drifted down to the back of her left hand. The bright purple glow danced in her clear amber eyes. It was mesmerizing in a weird way. Quickly, she pulled off her left glove and gazed at the large purple mark at the back of her left hand. A large curved 'V' with a twisted shaft at the bottom. Six eye-like ovals were skewered on both sides each with a circle in the center. Her blood ran cold as she immediately tore her eyes away. She wanted to puke just by looking at it. Something about that mark felt off. It was as if it was staring back at her and stared deep into the depths of her soul. How it taunted her with its gaze so cold and unrelenting. Where did this mark even come from? She's had it for as long as she could remember.

Morgan had one too, on her right shoulder. It never seemed to bother them back then but the same could not be said of their parents. Her father, in particular, made sure to tell them to keep it hidden at all costs. They never questioned why but it was always odd to see the disgusted or even terrified looks of those who did manage to accidentally see it. She could still remember them. The utter look of contempt still sent chills down her spine and all because they saw this stupid mark on the back of her left hand. Her eyes drifted to look at the mark once again as it pulsed a bright purple hue.

What the hell was this thing?

A figure in a large hooded cloak made their way down the dark hallway of the dragon's table. Their left shoulder burned with piercing violet light. They stopped and sighed. They looked up at the massive pair of doors that stood before them. This likely had to do with what happened in that village. Memories of that battle flashed through their head. Why did they hesitate? They had every opportunity to kill them but…

They shook their head. What's done is done and there wasn't much they could do about that. They let out a sigh. Fath-no Lord Grima was definitely going to be cross with them for their failure. They clutched their shoulder as a screeching pain burned through their skin. They stood silent for a moment and took a deep breath as the pain slowly faded away. A twist in their stomach caused the butterflies to scatter. Slowly, they opened the door and entered their master's chambers.

An ominous breeze swirled through the air and tugged at their hood to reveal a head full of short red hair. Slowly, her heart began to beat as each breath felt like her last. The hairs on her neck sprung to life as her legs quivered with each every step. Eventually, she made her way to the other end of the room. Sweat dripped down her face as she stood in front of the massive throne.

"Morgan…" She heard a dark booming voice address her by name.

"Yes, lord Grima"

"Look at me when I speak to you, child!" Grima commanded in a dark yet almost fatherly tone.

"Yes, sire…" Slowly, Morgan lifted her head.

A humanoid figure draped in shadow loomed over the young redhead. Two blood-red eyes shot down and hit Morgan with a hard contemptuous glare. For a moment, her heart seemed to stop and she almost tore her eyes away. Thankfully, she caught herself and looked back up at the two glowing red eyes that shot daggers into her heart. The light of the crimson moon dripped through the stained glass behind him like blood from an open wound. The outline of a dragon's head made its way around the humanoid figure as three more blood-red orbs broke through the darkness.

"Do you know why I summoned you here?" He asked.

Morgan swallowed the lump in her throat and began to speak, "B-Because I…" She hesitated for a moment. Those eyes continued to drill into her heart. She knows she disappointed him and those eyes only made it worse.

"Out with it child!" He snapped.

Morgan flinched as her whole body seemed to freeze over at those words, "It's because I f-failed, right?"

There was a cold silence as those words hit the air. Morgan stood firm as she looked up at her lord's contemptuous glare. For a moment, he said nothing before a dark chuckle sent a rattle through her spine.

"That is correct," He finally said, "I'm quite disappointed in you, child," He said with a tone similar to that of a parent scolding their child. "I thought I gave you explicit orders to kill those wretched children of Naga"

"My apologies Lord Grima, I…" Her eyes darted to the floor. She felt her heartache as flashes of snow-white hair flooded her mind.

"Do you not value your Loyalty to me? Morgan"

Morgan's heart momentarily stopped as she heard those words. Her eyes shot up to her lord's blood-red glare.

"No, milord it's not that, my loyalty to you is unshakable"

Grima's eyes narrowed, "do not forget who you are speaking with, child. I do not take kindly to lies"

"Well, I…" Morgan hesitated as her sister's face began to circulate through her mind.

"As I thought" Grima scoffed, "regardless, you have failed me and I have no need for unloyal servants who are going to fail me"

A chorus of moans and groans echoed through the across the room. Morgan looked around as dozens of red glowing eyes shot at her through the darkness and surrounded her. Her heart began to race as her wide eyes shot back up to Grima's blood-red stare.

Another dark chuckle sent shivers down her spine. "The risen are beautiful, aren't they? Perfect obedient soldiers and all it takes is a mask and a corpse"

Morgan looked around as dozens of undead humanoid monsters began to crawl out of the shadows and into the blood-red light of the crimson moon. A purple mist billowed from every opening in their bodies. Puncture wounds, gashes, scars, a broken jaw, there were plenty of places for that mist to drip out like blood and crawl along the floor. Morgan's muscles went stiff as she scanned the area around her. The upper part of her shoulder erupted into a blinding purple light that burned across her skin. Judging from the pain she felt, there were at least seven dozen risen surrounding her. She bit her lip.

Damnit

"and unlike the worms from which they spawned, they do not fail to follow any order given to them!" Grima let out a maniacal laugh, "although for their obedience, there is one flaw…"

One risen lunged at Morgan. It's axe glimmered in the light of the moon as it swung down at her. Morgan pivoted to the side and pulled out a thoron tome. Her hand sparkled with a ball of lightning as she immediately shot a beam of lightning at the risen's head. A sharp growl tugged at her from behind. Before the risen's body could dissolve, she grabbed the beheaded corpse and threw it at the risen behind her. She steadied herself and fired another beam of lightning towards the now cloud of mist in front of her. A loud screech of pain shot through the air which signaled her success.

"They are incredibly stupid but that makes this game a little more fun, doesn't it?" He chuckled again, "Now then, let's see if your wits can help you survive when the odds are against you! Prove to me you are more than the worthless worms that created them!" He laughed again as more and more risen began to charge at Morgan.

Severa covered her mouth in a wide yawn as she rose from the kitchen table. Slowly, she walked through the glittering red light of the moon that flooded into the house. A sting in her hand caused her to wince. She stopped and clutched her left hand as it continued to burn away her skin. Gods, why did this thing have to hurt so bad?! What was it? And why did it flare up like this?! It felt like her hand had been dunked in scalding hot water as it burned with the intensity of an archfire tome. Severa's teeth grinded against each other as the pain only escalated until it suddenly stopped.

Severa let out a deep breath as the pain began to subside. What the hell was that?! She looked down at the mark on her hand as the purple light faded into the darkness. This thing was full of mysteries, wasn't it? Though, something about that pain felt different. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what but something about it felt or rather sounded like a cry for help. How weird.

Severa let out a sigh, "Whatever…" She mumbled to herself as she continued walking.

She walked alone in the darkness. The cool night air brushed through her bangs as she let out a large yawn. She took a moment to wipe some water from her eyes. A dull pain stung at her foot causing her to stop. She lifted her foot and looked down at the small ring sparkling on the floor. She reached down and grasped the ring. The small gemstone glimmered in the light of the crimson moon as she held it in the palm of her hand.

"Who matters more to you, me or Chrom! Why don't you MARRY him?!"

"Severa I…"

A couple of tears dripped from Severa's eyes as she began to recall that day. Quickly, she wiped her eyes and closed her hand into a fist. There was nothing she could do about that now. Her mother was gone and she had to accept that. Still, those memories didn't sting any less. For a moment, Severa stood there silent as her snow-white hair drifted in the darkness. Memories of all the times she fought with her mother began to ravage through her head. Morgan's fearful sobs still rang in her ears. Severa sighed.

Why now?! Why did she have to remember all this stuff now?! She pulled at her hair in frustration and ran over to her room. They're all gone so she should just forget. She should just forget about all of them. Her mother, father, and her sister were all dead, and they were never coming back! She yanked open the door and marched inside. She tossed the ring to the floor and flopped onto the bed. Even the bed was cold. Severa rolled to her side and scrunched inward. She looked up at the large tactics book that laid on her nightstand.

"H-Hey um, Sev…"

"What is it?" Severa asked as she looked down at her sister from her bedroom door.

"C-Can I sleep with you tonight?" Morgan asked as her eyes shifted to the floor. Her fingers pressed up against each other and hovered close to her chest.

"Aren't you old enough to sleep by yourself?"

"B-But I…" She hesitated for a moment, "I...I was just thinking about mom and dad and I just felt, y'know a little lonely…"

Severa's heart sank at those words. She was quiet for a moment before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, fine but only this one time, got it!"

Morgan looked up and smiled, "Really?! Thanks, Severa"

"Just don't get the wrong idea okay! I'm not doing this because I felt bad for you or anything! I-It's just that I'm your sister a-and I have to look after you, that's all!"

Morgan giggled, "Well you're the best big sister a girl can have!" She said as she moved in to hug her older sister.

Severa's heart twisted as she recalled those memories.

"You're the best sister a girl could have…" She whispered to herself.

What a lie that was! Once again, a mist of tears formed in her eyes as she recalled that day. All she heard was a scream but when she got there all she found was a bloody tactics book and her stuffed pegasus. There was nobody, no weapons, nor any risen in sight. It was on that day that Severa realized that she was truly alone…

Severa scrunched in her body further, "Morgan…" She whispered, "Please come back...wherever you are…"

Morgan's lungs nearly collapsed with every breath. Rivers of blood ran down and dripped into the ocean of purple vapor below. Cuts, gashes, scrapes, bruises, and other wounds all screamed in agonizing pain as they tore across her body and coat. A tattered spellbook hung from her arms.

A low groan tugged at her ear. Her head immediately perked up as she rolled across the floor to avoid a risen's ax. She quickly went back on the offensive and tried to summon electricity in her open palm only for it crackle once and sputter out. The risen's neck cracked as it turned its head towards Morgan once again. The beast then lunged at her once more. Thinking quickly, she threw the book at the risen's face which disoriented it enough for her to reach into her coat. A lightning bolt-shaped blade crackled with electricity as Morgan stabbed upward. The risen screeched in pain as the Levin sword tore through its decayed flesh. She ripped the blade from the beast's abdomen as it fell to the ground and dissolved into a purple mist.

That was the last of them, Morgan thought to herself.

A familiar dark chuckle rang through the air. Morgan looked back at the large throne that shimmered in the moon's blood-red light.

"Excellent, I'd expect nothing less from my most faithful Grimleal!" He laughed, "It seems you have proven yourself worthy of a second chance"

Morgan's eyes lit up at this, "R-Really?!"

He chuckled again, "Of course, would I lie to my own daughter"

That last word sent a shiver down Morgan's spine. She flinched as a small tug of warmth filled her heart.

"Thank, Fath-" Morgan stopped as she saw those two familiar red eyes glare down at her with the intensity of a million suns. It was cold and haunting as if she was a cornered rat about to be devoured whole by a wyvern's gaping maw.

"DO NOT FORGET WHO I AM CHILD!"

"M-My apologies lord Grima"

He scoffed, "good, now then I want you to test out a new special risen for me"

"Special?"

Grima grinned, "Yes, special, this risen is somewhat different from the others. I took the liberty of modifying this one myself" He waved his hand as a swirl of mist began to rise and form a very familiar shape.

Morgan's eyes went wide, "T-That's…"

Grima chuckled, "Indeed, I want you to take this risen along with any others you can find and lay waste to Ylisstol"

Morgan nodded, "I understand" She bowed her head, "Lord Grima, I swear I won't fail you again"

"I will not tolerate failure! slaughter everyone! Do not leave a single one of those worms alive!"

"Everyone?" Morgan looked back up at Grima.

"You seem hesitant, did I not make myself clear?"

"You most certainly did milord, it's just…" Her eyes glided to the floor as her stomach coiled around itself.

"Out with it child!"

Morgan shook her head, "It's nothing, I will carry out your orders as requested, milord"

"Good, now go and carry out your god's will"

"Right away, Lord Grima" She nodded as she turned to limp out of the room.

She stopped just outside the giant double doors as a single tear ran down her face.

"I'm sorry, Sev…" She whispered to herself.

The doors slammed shut behind her and she was swallowed by darkness.

Hey wassup guys I know it's been a while. I was suffering from some writer's block and then there was school so yeah but at least I was able to get this done. I know I said I was gonna focus on Lucina this time but there were some things I needed to wrap up with Severa first that I didn't in chapter 9. But this really was a pretty big build up chapter that I needed to write sooner or later and now just seemed like the perfect time. I did really like writing this one though Grima does feel a little OOC at points but whatever. Evil villains gotta do what evil villains gotta do. Anyway, We're almost at 3,000 views! thanks for that, I appreciate everyone who reads my stories. It makes me feel good to know people like what I write. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this one and take care.