"Robin," I began, stifling a yawn as he opened the door to his office. "I've been quiet but I gotta ask: what did you wake me up so early for? We leave in a couple hours, don't we?"

"That we do," Robin confirmed, walking inside. "But I have something for you that may help in the coming battles. I intended to show you yesterday evening, but I became sidetracked."

"I mean, fair enough," I replied, stepping inside after him. "Not like I have- Actually, I do, but that's beside the point. Let's see what you…" I trailed off as I entered the room.

Robin's office was mostly the same as we had left it a couple days before, with one notable exception. Near the center of the room was a set of armor, held up by a stand within. A solid breastplate adorned with blue cloth draping over one side of it was between two pauldrons, with the left one being slightly smaller than the right one. The leggings were heavily armored, with leather covering where the metal couldn't reach. Finally, the helmet. It covered the entire face, with a small slit where someone would be able to see out of. The metal shined, seemingly being recently polished.

"Wow," I murmured.

"Heh, I thought you might like it," Robin commented, sidling up beside it. "I had it commissioned when you came back. You have been wearing more piecemeal armor since you lost your right hand, so I decided to have something made for you that suits your new stance. All we need to do now is have you learn how to ride a horse."

I chuckled nervously as I rubbed the back of my neck. "I think we'll have to do that after we get back from the battle. Either way though, damn. Little mean-looking, ain't it?"

I moved towards it until I was in front of it, seeing my reflection in the metal of the helmet. Reaching my hand up, I took the helmet in my grasp. The small 'tink' of my iron hand against the metal echoed in my ears.

"Heh, you actually got a helmet for me." I laughed a little. "Whaddaya know?"

Robin cringed. "Yes, I did. Honestly, the fact that almost no one within the Shepherds wears one has irritated me for some time. There is a reason warriors wear helmets. Head protection is very important. I will not have my knight be without it any longer."

"Alright then, Jesus Christ, calm down," I backpedaled, "Just saying. I actually think it's pretty good. Definitely wearing this when shit hits the fan. Although." My eyes narrowed. "No weapon? Sword?"

Robin looked at me like I'd just slapped him in the face. "Oh, what? Is this new, shiny, very expensive armor not good enough for you?"

"Alright, alright, I get it. You're a little on edge today, aren't you?" I asked, looking at the cloth adorning the breastplate and part of the left pauldron. "What's wrong? Nervous?"

Robin was silent for a moment before responding with a sigh. "Maybe just a bit. It has been a while since I have been in the heat of battle, even if this is rather small scale. I am afraid I might be out of practice."

"You're not gonna be directing shit from the back?" I queried, glancing at him.

"Gods, no!" He replied, indignantly. "I refuse to do such a thing! I will direct from the front lines, or not at all!"

I smirked as I studied a small detail on the cloth of the armor set. The Brand of the Exalt, essentially a symbol of Ylisse itself, was emblazoned on the fabric. "Fair enough. That'll keep the men in good spirits, at least. Guess Chrom and I will have to keep you safe then, huh? Not that you can't handle yourself but you're kinda…"

"I am aware of my physique, Alex." Robin nodded glumly. "I cannot take damage, even with the armor I have now. So, yes, you and Chrom will need to protect me. Do not worry too much though." He smiled, small sparks dancing between his fingers. He didn't even have a tome on him. "I can handle myself in a scrap just fine if I must."

I chuckled. "Ha! Yeah, don't remind me. I've seen you use magic. You can be pretty terrifying sometimes." I took one last look at the armor, up and down. "Hey, you think Cordy would-?"

"Your lover would probably think you look quite dashing in it, yes," Robin said instantly, causing me to sputter, "She seems to prefer men such as yourself, so accessories that enhance your masculinity would be pleasing to her."

"Christ, you're getting clinical again." I muttered.

"You asked for my opinion, and now you have it." Robin gave me a genuine smile. "I am glad for both of you, by the way. It is nice to see relationships like this blossom."

I stared behind Robin and off into the distance. My relationship with Cordelia had gone pretty far in a short time. Hopefully I'd have more time to go slower, maybe start out with living in the same room or tent-

"Alex? Gods, you are already staring off into nothing," Robin groaned, snapping me out of my small daydream, "We leave in a few hours, so I suggest we get this armor on you."

"Uh, yeah. Alright." I nodded, pausing again. "Just one question, milord."

Robin's eye twitched. "I told you to- Fine. What is it?"

"The kids," I began, "Those three. Will they be coming with us?"

"Indeed," Robin answered easily. "I want to know how good they are in a battle. It will be useful in deciding where they should go in our formations."

"Fair enough," I mumbled out, turning the helmet around in my hands. Pressing my lips into a line, I slowly put the helmet on, and turned back to Robin. "Now, what would you have your knight do?"

We left later that morning.

The convoy was a bit smaller than what I assumed would be the norm when Valm invaded. It wasn't like it had to be all that big. The bandits – well, 'marauders' would probably be a more apt name, since they were a bigger threat than bandits at that point.– were holed up in a small fortress, near the southern border with Plegia. We had everything; soldiers, craftsmen, blacksmiths, all that we needed.

It felt good being among them. It took a bit of the edge off, for a time. Living in a tent had a way of doing that. Especially when I'd just spent almost a month living in one within a frozen hellhole.

Cordelia being there helped as well.

Many of the Shepherds were there, as well as the future children, or, well, the three that were with us. I know I'd made a mental note to myself to talk with them at some point, if only to figure out more about myself from the future. It was just a small curiosity, really. I'd never become the person Lucina said I would. I wouldn't let it happen.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how I looked at it, one of them ended up coming to me.

"You, Sir Alexander!" A blonde-haired girl said, coming up to me in full plate armor with a training spear in her hand. "Spar with me!"

Considering I was just trying to get my sword sharpened, I was a little taken aback by her barging in out of nowhere. "Okay, the hell? Why?"

"Do you need a reason?" She asked back, clearly impatient. "I want to know how strong you are. The Sir Alexander I knew never accepted, so this is finally my chance!"

"Okay, keep your voice down. Jesus!" I sighed. "I don't know why I- or why future me- Oh, fuck it." I looked around conspiratorially. No one seemed to be around, which meant no one was listening, thankfully. "Fine. Come with me."

Kjelle fist-pumped. I wondered just who the hell taught her that. His name was at the tip of my tongue. "Hell yeah! Lead the way, then!"

A small clearing was all we needed. We moved there quickly, after I grabbed a practice sword. There was just one small problem I noticed once we were in position.

"Kjelle, you still have your armor on," I pointed out. "What the hell do you think this is? A real sword could barely do shit to that, let alone a wooden one."

Kjelle avoided my gaze uncomfortably. "If you can't beat me like this, then I guess you aren't as strong as I thought, huh? What's the problem with wearing this?"

"It's not-! You're trying to play me, aren't you? God." I wiped my forehead. "Fuckin, alright then. Keep it on. If I still kick your ass with you in that tin can, then you owe me a favor. Understand?"

A very dangerous smile crossed Kjelle's lips. "Understood, sir. Let's do this!"

Kjelle charged. Really, really fast. Plate armor wasn't as heavy as many people thought, and Kjelle acted like she was born in it. I was already at a disadvantage, what with her using a spear and me using a sword, but with that armor on there was little of the way for me to actually do anything.

It didn't stop me from trying, though.

Sweat fell from my brow in small rivers as I slashed again, with Kjelle barely being able to block it. I found a way to get past her ungodly defense: fight until she got exhausted, while trying my best to avoid her blows.

A bit easier said than done. Kjelle hit like a freight train, as my gut could attest. However, Kjelle was exhausting herself, slowly but surely. Plate armor may have allowed her to move around like normal, but she'd get tired more quickly than usual. She had an absolute shit ton of stamina, though.

I didn't know how long we were out there for, just trading blows over and over again. I was concerned my practice sword would snap in half at some point. I wasn't hitting her armor, no, that would be stupid. Her hitting my sword, though, that was what would do it.

Finally, with one last strike, Kjelle fell to the ground. Good thing, too; I was about to give out as well. I took deep breaths to calm myself down. I circled around the fallen Kjelle, who laid there trying to catch her breath. Her hair was wet with sweat, making it look more brown than blonde.

"F-fucking, good game, Kjelle!" I chuckled, holding my hand out. "How the hell could you keep going for so long?"

"I- Hah!" Kjelle gasped, grabbing my hand. God, she was heavy in that. "I used to… run circles around Ylisstol… in this armor! Hah, but even then, couldn't last long enough to… get you!"

"You f-fucking kidding me? I almost fell down!" I replied, throwing my sword to the ground, whereupon it snapped in half. I looked at it blearily. "Yeah, if you lasted just a bit longer, I'd be a goner."

"I'll need to train harder, then. You will be beaten by me, I swear it!" Kjelle vowed, once she was on her feet.

"I look forward to it, heh." After taking one last deep breath, I looked at her seriously. "Now, I think I asked you for a favor, right?"

"Name it," She replied.

I turned my gaze away for a moment before looking her in the eye. "I've asked Lucina this but I want a different perspective, I guess. Tell me, what was I like in the future? What was I to you?"

"That's it?" Kjelle blinked. "I would have told had you just asked! But, very well." A smile crossed Kjelle's face as she held up a fist. "You were the greatest knight of Ylisse. The Last Shepherd! Knight-Commander! So many titles. I saw you in combat so many times, facing enemies larger than yourself so that others could escape, and you would always survive! I guess you were an inspiration. To me." She pounded her fist into her palm. "I wanted to be like that; a bulwark for Grima's minions to break themselves upon!"

I paused. "That's a bit different from what Lucina told me."

"It made it all the more frustrating when you never sparred with me," Kjelle said, a little more quietly than before. "I wanted to prove myself to you. I guess I'll never get that chance with the man I knew."

"Kjelle," I said softly.

She shook her head wildly. "Anyway! This just means I'll have to improve my stamina! One day, I won't just beat you with just a practice sword; I'll beat you in full armor!"

I was still a bit speechless, but I nodded, nonetheless. "Looking forward to it!"

It was all well and good that Cordelia had come with us. Since we were in a relationship instead of a confusing grey area, I'd rather have her near me than, well, hell, I'd have rather had her with me all the time, snuggling and all that crap. It felt nice, even though we'd only done it a couple times. I made a note to talk to her about that, then realized how formal that sounded.

There is just no winning with you.

I was taking a break from training. Facing Lon'qu for the first time in a sparring match left me with some- Well, let's just say that Maribelle was a life saver, even if I never got to talk to her very often. She was a good person, she was just a type of abrasive that I wasn't prepared to handle for extended periods of time.

Beyond that, though, the only person I willingly sought out besides those I was sparring with or Cordelia was Lucina, but she was apparently very good at not being found if she didn't want to; I couldn't find her anywhere. I knew I wasn't the best at finding people, but it was ridiculous.

While I was stuck in my own thoughts, somehow still not addressing the coming battle, I heard someone shouting in the woods nearby. I raised a brow curiously, grumbling as I stood up. It took me only a few minutes to find out who it was.

"Hark, foul demon of the trees! I have slashed through your bark as a hot knife through butter. Surrender now and perhaps I may convince my sword hand to withdraw!" The son of Lissa said dramatically, in a pose I could only describe as uncomfortable as he glared at the poor, abused tree in front of him. "Too prideful to relinquish your hold upon the wood, creature? So be it! I will purge your very essence from this world! Shadooooow Dragooooon!"

He stabbed the bark of the tree, actually getting pretty far into the wood before slashing it through the side, spraying sap onto the ground nearby. I had to admit, the kid had a crap ton of strength.

"Owain-?"

"Whoms't-!?" Owain spun around, his sword expertly pointed at me less than a second after I spoke his name. Once he saw me, though, he let the blade down. "Ah, honorable knight of Ylisse! I would ask that you do not sneak up to me; my sword hand is unable to tell friend from foe at times."

"No shit, really?" I replied, feeling a little too nonplussed for my liking. "I heard someone shouting, so I decided to come looking. Should've known it was you."

Owain laughed. Even the way he held his head as he did so felt minorly pose-like. "Ahah! So you say, Sir Alexander! Southern Ylisse is a dangerous place, even more so when the trees themselves are filled with demons and other evil spirits. I took it upon myself to send them back to hell where they belong. 'Twould not do to have them leering at us as we face the enemy ahead of us!"

"Uh huh," I replied intelligently, "I completely understood what you just said."

"As expected of the future Knight-Commander of Ylisse-! Ehp-!" Owain coughed harshly. "That is to say, knight of Ylisse. Only one who can count themselves among their number could so effortlessly decipher my speech!"

"Kjelle already said something about that, but hey," I sighed, holding my head in my hands. "Nevermind, I don't wanna deal with that right now." I knew he was either just practicing or letting out some steam. I decided to humor him. Besides, I liked Owain; he was one of my favorite child units in the game. It was probably why I could understand something from him. Even though it had been a long time since I'd ever even looked at Awakening.

God, it's nearly impossible to remember it as a game anymore.

"Alright," I began. "Just, uh, just be careful, you know?"

"What is there for me to be afraid of? Nothing within this wood can stand up to the power of my sword hand! Let them come!"

"I was more meaning splinters," I continued, crossing my arms. "Those things can be nasty. If you're not careful, they'll embed themselves into your sword hand, and steal your power. The wood is infested with demons, after all."

Owain sputtered, nearly choking on his own spit as he held his right hand to his chest protectively, almost like a father protecting his child. "T-the dastards! Have they no honor, attempting to siphon my power!? I thank you for alerting me to this, Sir Alexander! I will not let your warnings go unnoticed! Come at me, fiends! Face the legendary blade, Missiletainn!"

Out of a scabbard I didn't know was there before, Owain produced a dull, steel sword. I stared at it gormlessly as he cast aside the perfectly sharpened sword he already had to the ground. Owain slashed again at the tree, causing wooden chunks to rain down on the floor below.

The entire time I stood there watching him, the only thing I could think about was how he was tearing apart a tree with what amounted to an oversized butter knife.

"Screw it, it's not going to happen," I seethed, holding my head in my hands as I sat up in bed. "Every time you try to close your eyes you just can't go to sleep. It's the same shit, different day." I sighed. "Fuck."

I wasn't sure if it had something to do with the battle that was only a few days away, or if I'd always been like that and was just having it worse than usual. I did find it hard to go to sleep most of the time, but I never considered it outright insomnia. No matter what I did, I could not calm down. The same feeling I'd had time and time again came back with a vengeance.

An image of my dad, decked out in Army fatigues and staring at me with unfocused blue eyes, crossed my mind.

I shook the thought away as best as I could, but somehow, I couldn't shake away the feeling that he was still looking at me, from beyond dimensions, judging. Or maybe not judging. We were the same, or at least similar. How much longer was it until I found myself passed out outside the barracks, with a bottle in one hand?

They were crazy thoughts, dredged up by my tired mind. I knew that. And yet they refused to go away. I needed something to calm me down. Something that would make me feel better.

Cordelia.

We hadn't been able to talk much, which frustrated me. I missed her, and she was nearby at pretty much all times. I had no excuse. I could have gone on and on about how 'busy' I was or how I had other, better things to do, but that was stupid. What else could be more important to me? She was my girlfriend. And, by God, I was going to pay attention to her.

I sat up, my sheets falling off me. Hoping she wasn't asleep, I went to my tent flap.

"-Oh!" Someone gasped as I moved the cloth away. My eyes widened at their red hair.

"Cordelia?" I murmured quietly.

She stood there, wearing nothing but a pair of boots and her riding dress. With the clear night sky in the background, and the white mist leaving her mouth, she looked like some sort of ethereal goddess. The sight was breathtaking, and I caught myself staring. I shook my head a little.

"Um, Alex?' Cordelia asked.

"Yeah?"

Cordelia shivered a little, her teeth audibly chattering. "C-can I come in? It's rather chilly out here."

I blinked, before cursing myself under my breath. What the fuck was I doing? Failing, that was what I was doing.

Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, even though that wasn't really necessary, I ushered her inside. Once she was, she let out an audible breath.

"Sorry about that," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "I wasn't- Yeah, my bad."

"No, don't apologize!" Cordelia replied, smiling slightly as she fixed her hair a little. "You weren't expecting me. Besides, you were… you were looking at me. Am I really that beautiful to you?"

"Yes," I said instantly, without a shred of hesitation.

Cordelia either meant that as a joke are wasn't expecting me to answer with such certainty. At least, that was the only reason I could find for why she started blushing.

"I was actually about to go look for you," I began, attempting to fix a few fingers on my iron hand before realizing it wasn't there. To mask that, I coughed. "I've been having some, er, trouble sleeping, and we haven't had much time to ourselves. Decided now would be the best time. Ya know, because sleeping and..."

"Oh, you were?" Cordelia asked, surprised. "Well, it seems we both had the same idea then. I couldn't sleep at all."

"Great minds think alike and all that jazz," I said, smiling. "I'm just glad we finally had a chance to get together like this. I got so used to meeting you in Ylisstol that I- Ah, fuck it. Come here."

Cordelia squealed quietly as I brought her into a hug. She hung her arms around my neck and looked at me with smoldering eyes. "Someone's feeling aggressive today, hmm? Not that I mind." She gave me a quick peck on the lips before unhooking herself from me. "Not tonight, though. Now that I'm here, I feel tired. Would you mind if we laid down?"

Quickly, find out if this is subtext or not.

I nodded. "Not in the slightest."

Cordelia and I faced each other on either side of the bed. Her presence did help with my issues a bit, but still neither of us could get to sleep, it seemed.

"Gods, I thought this would work., Cordelia whispered, turning over and looking up at the ceiling of the tent. "You still have it too, right? Still can't fall asleep?"

I didn't say anything for a second. "Yeah. I do. It sucks."

"That it does." She sighed. "At least the company is good."

"Yep." I put my arms behind my neck. "I've been training with all sorts of weapons, you know, not just spears. Thought that shit would tire me out but I guess not. You know axes are really, really good at getting through armor? I did. Now Kellam knows it too."

"You didn't hurt the poor man, did you?"

"Hell no. The guy's built like a steel fortress. Have you seen him?" I turned my head to look at her.

She had a puzzled expression on her face. "Now that you mention it, I haven't spoken to him in a while. Or maybe- No, I was certain that was someone different…"

"Kellam has that effect on people," I chuckled.

"He does, doesn't he? Sometimes I even forget he's there." She sighed. "After the training I put some of those recruits through, I thought I would be exhausted as well. No such luck."

"How's that going, by the way?" I asked, a brow raised. "The training, I mean. Last time I checked there were a few new faces in the pegasus knights."

"About as well as it could," Cordelia explained, sighing again. "Many of them haven't been in a single real battle before; this'll be their first. To tell the truth, I'm worried. Gertrude is my biggest problem child, though. That girl can't hold a spear right to save her life, I swear!"

"You'll get 'em through it," I reassured her, taking my left hand and gently nudging a few strand hairs away from her eyes. "You've been teaching my one-handed ass to hold a spear correctly; you can train someone hopeless into a badass. I'm sure of it."

Cordelia's face lit up in a gorgeous smile. "Always so supportive! I'm just waiting for when you finally have something not-so-nice to say about me."

"Don't count on it. There's not a single thing about you that isn't perfect."

Cordelia squirmed, a blush adorning her pale cheeks. "Gods, listen to these things you say!"

"Hey." I shrugged. "It's the truth. Never told a lie in my entire life. Honest."

"That is a lie, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

After a good chuckle, we laid there for a few seconds, a comfortable silence settling between us. I was glad to have her with me, just laying beside me. However, there was something at the back of my mind, something I couldn't quite place.

It came to me.

"Hey, Cordelia-?"

"Alex, do you-?"

I sputtered a little as Cordelia giggled. "Alright, nevermind, then. You go first."

"Aren't you a gentleman?" Cordelia quipped with a smile, before it faltered. "I've just been thinking. These past few weeks have been the happiest of my life, but I can't help but wonder."

"Wonder about what?"

"About where we go from here." She answered, turning her head to look at me. "When we first confessed, we just saved that question for later. I know that usually I wouldn't do something so- so spontaneous or rash, but I couldn't help myself."

She was asking the exact same question I had on my mind. Though, to be fair, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Severa's existence proved that I probably achieved it in the future as well. It still felt a little early though, but I had to say something.

I took a deep breath. "You know, if you told me three years ago that I'd be in bed and in love with the most beautiful woman in the world, I'd probably run away from you and call the police. Er, don't ask about that, by the way." I turned to her, smiling. "Then I got transported across dimensions and found you. In hindsight, I'm glad that happened, just so I could meet you. This is the happiest I've ever been in my entire life, too."

"Alex…"

"You want to know where I think we should go after this?" I asked. "Well, maybe sometime soon I'll buy a little something, put it on your ringfinger, and then we'll, uh, tie the knot, so to speak."

"A-Alex!" Cordelia sounded like she was choking up as she sat up. "A-are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"It might be a little fast," I continued, shrugging. "And I don't wanna do it until I've met your, er, your parents. B-but," I began stuttering myself. "I think- I think I'd like that. If that is what all this is leading to, if that's our future, I'll do anything to make it a reality."

My heart jumped in my chest as I felt a weight on my lower body. Cordelia had turned herself over so that she was straddling my waist. The next thing I knew, the familiar sensation of her lips on mine overtook me. Placing my hands on the side of her hips, a small flare of frustration went through my mind; I could only feel her with one hand.

Hazily, I was aware of her arm wrapping around my neck, with her hands gently stroking my hair. For a few seconds, we just laid there, kissing each other tenderly. I liked to think I got better at it since my first time.

Eventually, we had to part for air. It felt as if a flame lit itself inside my chest as well as, well, a different area, further south. Cordelia's hand roamed across my chest as she panted, a healthy blush on her cheeks.

"Hah. Alex!" She gasped, pulling me closer and nuzzling into my chest. "I love you. I love you so, so much! I-It would be improper if we took this further but..." I felt her breath against my skin. "Know that if I wanted to give it to anyone, it would be you."

Despite my raging hormones, I knew that it was for the best. At least, for the moment. Besides, I was content with holding her as close to me as possible. It had been a long time since I'd felt her warmth against me in bed, and I'd have damned myself if I didn't revel in it.

I held her in my arms the entire night.

We made it to the fortress just a week and a half after leaving Ylisstol. We camped just on the fringes of it, and I could see the menacing stonework from where we were. It was nowhere near as impressive as some places I've been to, but it was effective. A small army of former Plegian soldiers and bandits were inside, according to the reports from scouting pegasus knights. We had several men to one of theirs, and probably better trained, too. Every battle had its risk, though, and Robin wasn't taking any chances. He wanted siege weapons; trebuchets, towers, ladders, all that good stuff, even if we didn't use them. Even if the fortress was small, and the army within unimpressive, that didn't mean we weren't going to take it seriously.

There were all sorts of things that could go wrong. My iron hand was the biggest reminder of that.

I re-entered the open tent, seeing Robin, Frederick, and Cordelia standing around a wooden table.

"Nothing's changed and no sign of Gaius so far," I said, placing my hand on the table and looking at the map. "Anyone else getting a little antsy?"

"Gaius is an accomplished thief. He will be back," Robin said assuredly, tracing a few drawings on the map of the fortress. "And with his intel, we may be able to finally get this battle underway."

"I am dubious of this plan of yours, Robin," Frederick said, his hands behind his back. "The reports indicated that these bandit raids were organized and precise. What of the leader? Should we not be wary of his plans as well?"

"Their leader is, to put it bluntly, either a fool or suicidal." Robin shook his head. "Yes, his raids are organized, but they also drew a lot of attention to his little hideout. He may have gathered a sizeable army for a bandit leader, but that means nothing when he knows that we can bring the full weight of the Ylissean military against him. In other words, he did it to attract attention. It would not make sense otherwise." He put a hand to his chin. "I have been operating under this assumption for some time. That is why I have had the men building trebuchets and other weapons. I expect him to do something drastic now that he has our attention."

Cordelia regarded Robin with narrowed eyes. "You've been talking about this leader a lot, Robin. Just who is he?"

"A Plegian general." Robin said simply. "I am surprised you don't know about him; Phila was the one who gave me the report that fit his criteria. He may have even been one we have encountered before."

"Commander Phila told me nothing of it," Cordelia mumbled.

"It is not as if it is important information, Cordelia," Robin brushed off. "Besides, you are following my orders. What does it matter?"

"Robin," I began, trying to get everything back on track. "You said this bastard might do something drastic. Are we just gonna wait around here for him to do that?"

Robin sighed. "I was hoping that Gaius would be here by now, but it appears he may have been-"

"Don't write me off for dead yet, Bubbles," A familiar voice said, just behind him. "It ain't like you to just call it quits on a good friend like that, yeah?"

Robin looked like a cat as he screamed and buried his nails into the wood of the table. He spun around, his red eyes like dinner plates. Idly, I heard Cordelia stifle a small giggle.

"G-Gaius!" Robin gasped, coughing a little into his hand to compose himself. "I-I trust you have intel for us?"

"Last I checked, they're all gathering in the courtyard," Gaius began, sitting on the table like he owned the place. "Some of them look kinda sickly, though, like they've eaten one too many cupcakes. All pale and thin. Some of them, at least. Some of them look a bit more beefy, if you catch my meaning." He shrugged. "Besides that, they've got standard equipment for their type; rusty swords and axes, mostly. Saw a few polearms too but that was more the exception than the rule. Oh, and no cavalry as far as I could see."

"Armor?" Robin asked.

"Nothing too impressive. Just a few bits of metal strapped to their arms and legs, really," Gaius replied, "I almost feel sorry for these guys, but I dropped my lollipop because I thought one of 'em spotted me, so I don't have any mercy to spare. Rain hell down on 'em."

"That was more your fault than theirs, though," I pointed out.

"Maybe, but I can't take my anger out on myself, can I?"

I scoffed.

Robin ahem'd to get our attention. "That settles it then; I predict they will perform an all-out attack. They'll send as many men as they can into the fray to either cut us down with sheer ferocity or deter us from entering further. As I said, suicidal."

"Guide our swords then, Robin," Frederick said, looking at him sternly. "If what Marth said is true, then this will be an excellent chance to test your new army out."

"That it will be, Frederick," Robin agreed, smiling slightly before his usual serious expression took hold again. "I am going to box them in. Make sure that they have no way to flank our forces. Alex, you will be leading the vanguard; face them head on. Frederick, you will attack them from the south. I will descend from the north. Cordelia, your job is to have the pegasus knights assist wherever necessary. Provide as much aerial support as you can, and if they have fliers of their own, take them down."

"Got it."

"As you wish."

"Alright."

Gaius coughed into his fist. "What about me, Bubbles? I won't last long in a fight like this."

"Hmm," Robin hummed, hand to his chin. "Gaius, come with me. In fact, all three of us will have another Shepherd to accompany us."

I held up my hand. "Robin, just one question."

Robin rose a brow. "What is it?"

"The, er, new recruits," I began inconspicuously. "Where are they going in this whole plan?"

"Going with you, of course," Robin said easily, "You will need all the help you can get on the front lines. Besides, I've seen them train. You know how impressive they are, correct? Especially Marth."

I wasn't averse to that idea. Not at all. There was something strangely nostalgic about it that I couldn't place.

"I trust you do not have a problem with this, Alex?" Robin asked.

"No," I replied curtly, "No, I don't. Just asking."

"Very well. You have your answer then. Now." Robin paused for a second. "This is the first time I have planned a battle such as this since the end of the war. I appreciate you all trusting me with your lives. I have done and will continue to ensure that every single one of us will get out of this in one piece. That is the least I can do." Robin stood up straight. "We have a battle to win!"

The wind blew through my hair as I stared down at the fortress. It had a name, funnily enough: Dolorous Guard. There were all kinds of keeps and castles near the border with Plegia like it, built during the crusades. Mostly, they were used as waystations and strongholds to support troops on the front lines, although with Emmeryn's policies after Chrom's father's death, they fell into disrepair. Or, as was the case there and elsewhere, someone had taken up new residence.

It was a menacing thing, looking like something out of Dark Souls. It was almost like the stonework itself was supposed to give an image of violence. Nonetheless, we had to enter and take down an old Plegian general off his rocker, so there was no going back or running away.

To my right stood Lucina and Kjelle, and to my left, Owain, all kitted out and ready for battle. The rest of the army stood behind us, ready for either a charge or some other crap to come from the fortress.

"You three ever kill someone before?" I asked curtly.

Lucina gave me a placid nod, Kjelle gritted her teeth, and while Owain still had a brave face on, he involuntarily shook. I nodded, closing my eyes.

"Thought so. Shit like that doesn't get easy. Believe me, I know." I opened my eyes and looked up. "But just remember: it's either us, or them. These fuckers have been raiding villages and taking people prisoner, so it's not like they don't have any blood on their hands. You're all experienced in combat, so I don't have to worry about one of you getting cut down while I'm not looking. But stick close; I'm gonna need your help once we get in there."

"As you wish, Sir Alexander. We will follow your lead," Lucina said quietly, unsheathing Parallel Falchion from its scabbard. "It will be just like old times, I suppose."

"Or new times, depending on who you ask." I chuckled. "Anyway-!"

The sound of a horn blowing came from the fortress, descending upon the field where we would fight. Towards the front of Dolorous Guard was a massive portcullis, and I swore I almost heard the sound of rusted chains as it slid up, revealing the courtyard.

Men poured out of the opening like water out of a fountain, and several wyverns, from the looks of them, flew into the sky. They spread across the soon-to-be battlefield at an alarming pace, making a few of our soldiers take a step back out of fear.

I remembered when I was the same way; facing a seemingly endless enemy force down, the fear coursing through my veins, every bone and nerve in my body telling me to run, telling me to retreat.

That time, I stood strong. Putting my helmet on, I stared down the army charging us.

I unhooked the axe on my belt and examined it before the charging horde. It was a simple weapon, made of steel and brutally effective. Ordinarily I wouldn't use a weapon I didn't have a lot of experience in, but I was willing to do it that time, if only because practical experience would serve me better in the future.

I made a promise to myself back in Khadein, that I would get better at all sorts of weapons. I didn't intend to break that one.

Grabbing the handle and readying my shield, I got ready.

The closer the army ahead of us got, the more I could see what Gaius was talking about; they were emaciated, sick-looking guys that almost looked like a stiff breeze would bowl them over. Despite that, they kept charging, and soon, they were upon us.

They crashed into our ranks with a surprising amount of strength. Once they did, though, we immediately began fighting back.

I swung my axe, landing a blow smack-dab in the middle of someone's face. The crunch that came from their broken skull echoed in my ears as I pulled it out and let him fall to the ground. Feeling someone try to cut through my armor with a sword, I swung behind me and caught another bandit through the side. He shouted in pain as I wrenched the axe from his side and struck him through the chest.

Numbly, I remarked to myself how easy it was to kill regular people rather than draconic abominations. I hated that feeling, but I couldn't lie to myself. I felt nothing as I cut down men left and right with my axe. I accepted that part of myself; I may not have liked it, but it was necessary. Besides, it wasn't like I wasn't feeling anything, I'd just… grown numb to killing.

It was hard to believe that just about two years prior, I was worrying about turning in a writing assignment.

I saw Lucina cutting a swath through their forces with Parallel Falchion. She wielded it much like Chrom did; swinging it around with reckless abandon. She didn't need to have too much skill with it because she was just that damn strong. Not to say her swordsmanship was bad; it was actually really good, that wasn't here nor there. Kjelle took on several opponents at once, their weapons battering against her armor ineffectually as her spear made quick work of their barely protected bodies. Owain, meanwhile, practically danced through the battlefield. He wasn't using Missiletainn, thank the Lord, but even with the ordinary steel sword he was using, he made mincemeat of the opposition. Nothing touched him either, as he easily dodged the enemy's attempted blows.

All in all, I was impressed.

A wyvern crashed in front of me, splintering scale and cracking bone filling my ears. The rider tried feebly to crawl from the ruined creature, which was swiftly stopped by me. Looking up, I saw the most one-sided aerial dog fight I'd ever seen. I thought I saw Cordelia, weaving in and out of the battle and spearing people. My lips pursed under my helmet.

She'll be fine. She's been fighting for longer than you have.

I nodded to myself and kept going.

Soon enough, the entire enemy force was boxed in by our three-pronged attack. Despite that, however, they didn't surrender. In fact, they split into two. One half retreated back into the castle, while the rest stayed and fought against us.

That didn't last long, as my axe could attest. And just like that, the battle was over for the moment.

Casualties on our side were minimal. For the enemy, though, they lost more than half their troops in just about ten minutes.

I found Robin near the entrance, which was still mysteriously open.

"This isn't right, Alex," He murmured, which made it a bit hard to hear him over the sound of literally everyone around us. "Not only were these troops pitiful, but they have kept the gate opened."

"No shit. I could've told you that. Smells like a trap," I said, panting a little. "We could pelt them with trebuchets from afar, you know."

"After the battle we just had, there is no way they could have many troops left, even if accounting for underground tunnels." Robin brought a hand to his chin. "This is going to be risky, I know, but there are no reports of any dark mages within or, Gods forbid, Grimleal. No Risen. Alex." Robin looked at me. "The future, as unlikely as it seems, hinges on this. I know this sounds familiar, but-"

"You want me to go in there and kill shit, don't you?" I asked mildly. I sighed and shrugged. "Fair enough. This better not turn into another fucking Khadein, though. I want all the men we can spare to go in there with me. Frederick, too."

Robin nodded. "Done. I'd rather this not turn into a slog. That would be- Yes, that would be rather problematic. Let us get this over with so that we may return home." He took a step forward and put a hand on my shoulder. "Cordelia is fine, so I will be sending her in with you as well."

I felt myself smile a little at that, below the helmet. "A-alright, then. You're right. Let's get this ordeal over with then. If the bastards inside are anything like the ones we just fought, this'll be over before sundown."

The clanking of armor is all that I heard as we entered the courtyard. I stood on the left of Frederick, while Cordelia walked to his right.

"Are you alright, Alex?" Cordelia asked out of the blue.

I turned my head to her wearily. "Yeah, I'm fine. Gotta lotta endurance, you know? Can go for more than a few rounds."

"Gods, I wish I were like that. Only takes me a few minutes before I'm winded," She sighed, twirling her spear a little. "That's nice to hear, though. I'm glad I'll have you watching my back."

"That's only if I'm not distracted looking at your face," I said without thinking.

The future kids were nearby, and I swore Kjelle said something that would have pissed me off if I actually heard it.

She sputtered as Frederick sighed. "Both of you, stop. Now. We have more important matters to handle." He looked up. "No one on the battlements. I question Robin's decision, but these brigands are asking for it. There must be something going on here."

"The guys we faced out there were basically zombies," I said. "What would make the ones here any different? Hell, I saw a few of them retreat back here, but there's nothing."

"Their fliers were lacking as well," Cordelia remarked, looking up to the tall walls and desolate buildings. "I didn't lose a single pegasus in that battle."

Frederick nodded. He turned to me. "Alexander, I want you to investigate the north wing. Cordelia, the south. I want this castle to be cleared before we confront the general."

Aye aye!" I replied, looking to Cordelia. "See ya 'round, sweetheart!"

"Stay safe, Alex." Cordelia smiled fondly.

Dolorous Guard wasn't much more friendly on the inside. In fact, it may have been even less welcoming. The walls were dilapidated and broken, with the stonework practically coming apart as me and a group of men continued on. The only people we'd come across were lone survivors who were probably a part of the army that attacked us outside. They were just wandering the halls, it seemed like, with no direction. It was creepy as all hell.

Besides the men, Kjelle was with me. She kept giving me a glance that I couldn't quite place, and it was making me uncomfortable.

Before we entered the north wing proper, though, I heard voices coming from what looked like a gatehouse of some sort.

Kjelle narrowed her eyes for a second before they opened as wide as plates when we approached the entrance to the small building. "Sir Alexander, I can't believe it, but-!"

I was already opening the door by the time she said that, and it made the voices on the other side clearer.

"Yarne and Laurent, we'll sneak out there and release them. Nah, you stay here. If we need you, you'll know. Noire? Get up high. If things go south, give us backup. And-" She stopped as she noticed me entering.

Red hair, so much like someone I knew, followed by blue eyes so vibrant and familiar. They were my father's eyes, as clear as day. Her face was set into a frown as she noticed.

Bitterly, she said: "Oh. It's you."

Aaaaand a Cliffhanger. Yeah, I hate me too, but if I kept the rest of this inside one Chapter then it'll be very, very long. So you'll have to deal with this for a while lol.

Not much for me to say, really; this chapter speaks for itself.

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Hope you enjoyed!

Edited on 3/6/21. Not the worst Chapter.