The response was quick. Not but a few days after Cordelia sent out her messenger did one come back. We both took it to Robin – I went with her just to make sure explosions didn't go off between them, as they were wont to do – and the look on Robin's face as he read the slightly crumpled piece of folded parchment sent my heart racing.

He looked up from what he was reading, and a giddy smile spread across his lips. "They will be here within the week," he informed us, "We should count ourselves lucky that Rosanne is so comparatively small. Cordelia, what was your Pegasus Knight's impression of these mercenaries?"

"She was impressed," Cordelia replied curtly, "She said they were all hardened veterans of the battlefield, numbering in the hundreds, surprisingly enough. Their leader wields a worn, golden blade of unknown make. Beyond that, not much. She was informed that they would likely recruit from nearby villages to help bolster their numbers, although I'm sure the letter said as much."

Robin chuckled. "Indeed! Indeed…" He leaned back on the crate he was using as a chair. "Gods, this is a relief. Alex, any sign of the Rosanneans marching on us?"

"Not yet," I grunted. "Don't expect that to last, though. Virion's said Wyval and its surrounding fortifications are less than a week's march from here."

"So we should be expecting them within the next day or two, yes," Robin hummed. "How are the men coming along?"

I sighed. "Well, fine for the most part. A few troublemakers like this fucking asshole named Roderick. Beyond that, though? As long as we wait for them to come to us, we could survive this battle, I think."

"I'd say we need to pray," Robin laughed, before waving around his letter. "But clearly mine have already been answered. Even without these mercenaries' support, the troops within Wyval, even when accounting for bloated Risen numbers, ensures we will survive the coming battle! Within a fortnight, we will march on Wyval, and end this conflict. Then we can finally regroup with Chrom and liberate Chon'sin. And then, after that…"

I nodded. "We end this war."

"There will be one after it, but that has a better chance to be less… bloody." Robin agreed.

"I think I will pray just the same," Cordelia sniffed, looking down at Robin from the bridge of her nose. "Perhaps that was the reason Frederick suffered his grievous injury; he simply didn't pray enough."

"Cordy," I looked to her, my gaze stern. "Please."

Cordelia took a deep breath. "Apologies, tactician. I have to make sure the pegasus knights are ready. Please, excuse me."

My wife left with a disturbingly emotionless face. I turned to Robin. "Well, not even on a first name basis anymore."

"She has every right to be angry with me," Robin said quietly, looking down at his feet. "With the amount of mistakes I have made, I would be angry with myself. She still follows my orders completely, and really, that is all I can ask for."

My lips thinned. It didn't have to be that way. At that point, it would take a miracle for Cordelia and Robin to like each other. I just didn't want them to be at each other's throats all the time. It was even harder when one was my best friend and the other was my wife.

They were spotted just a couple days after the response from the mercenaries. A Pegasus Knight came back from patrol short of breath, speaking about an army marching towards Fort Mycen. A large one. Her estimates put their number anywhere between four-thousand to eight-thousand men and Risen.

A day after that, I could see the fires from their camps from the fort's walls.

"Give them another night," I rasped, left hand on the parapet, looking out over the plains. "And they'll be here in force. The pegasus knight said there was a vanguard, with three individuals leading the charge. My bet's on them being your nephew, Dorion, and that Deadlord, Fauder, with one unknown," I shrugged, sighing. "They have enough troops to launch a full assault, although most of their forces are conscripted peasants and Risen, so, not exactly the most elite army in existence. Nothing compared to our own."

"Your foresight was masterful in regard to that, Robin!" Virion praised, smiling at the white-haired man. "An impressive strategy as well, employing mercenaries. With their army none the wiser, Dorion is in for a rude awakening."

"From what I have heard of your nephew, Duke Virion, it's not exactly difficult to outsmart him," Robin replied dryly, looking over the fields beside me. "Is there anything more you can tell me about him? Chances are a lord such as him will want to parley with us."

"Hmm, you would be correct," Virion said, a hand to his chin. "He was raised in the proper etiquette, if nothing else. I still wish I could have steered him away from this… this path he has so blithely chosen, but what's done is done. If I know anything about my nephew, he will send a messenger once he is at our doorstep, asking us to meet him in person; parley, as you said. No doubt he wishes to gloat right in front of our faces. A thin skin of courtly attitude hiding the man he truly is."

"A coward, basically," I summed up, taking a step back from the parapet. "At least you had a reason, Virion, a good reason. It's still cowardice, but I can understand why you'd do it. You actually give a shit about your people, unlike this bastard who seems to not care what happens to them, as long as he's still on top."

"Dare I hear kind words from you, Sir Alexander?" Virion blinked, surprised. "I trust you realize the situation is not dire enough that we must exchange such weighty words."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I know. I've just had this sitting on my chest for a while. Saw an opening, and, well, thought I might as well."

"I am glad to hear it, nonetheless!" Virion added hastily. "It is good to enter a battle with no regrets. A clear mind is always useful."

"When he asks for parley, I want you, Alex, and Cordelia to meet him," Robin interjected. "Just in case he tries something drastic. I have no doubt that you all will come back, but…"

"I do not object. I would rather have gone entirely myself, but I feel more confident with brave warriors such as them at my side. Craven as he may be, Dorion will not break the rules of parley," Virion conceded. "He will want us to go back and watch as his 'superior' forces overrun our own. He always had such an urge, you see, to try and outperform his opponent while giving said opposition every concession they are due."

"The more I hear about this guy, the more I want to slap him across the face. Preferably with my right hand," I grumbled. "No objections, Robin, but if Severa finds out you sent us both out there, she, uh, won't be happy."

Robin gulped. "Yes, well, both of you are the only ones I trust with protecting Virion. Your wife already despises me, Alex, what's one more of your family added to that list?"

"Much as I would love to see how such a show would play out, Sir Alexander," Virion looked at me, his expression serious. "I humbly request that you leave Dorion to me. He is my own nephew, after all, and is it not my responsibility to rein others of my family in?"

I was silent for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough. Just make sure you get a good slap in there for me."

"There will be more than slapping after the crimes he has committed, Sir Alexander," Virion replied, his voice low.

Robin looked from me to Virion, before sighing. "Let's get some rest. They will be upon us soon."

Their army was vast. I wouldn't say it was comparable to an ocean; too many gaps. But I had to admit, they were impressive.

Not nearly as impressive as I'd been fearing, though. Not even close. There was no sea of Risen or countless supply of fresh bodies on the ground. The army in front of us was all there was. Their number probably right in the middle of what the pegasus knight scout surmised: six-thousand. Six thousand against two-thousand. Normally, those odds would put me on edge. But when compared to our own troops, well, I wasn't exactly worried anymore.

Once the army was at our doorstep, just as the pegasus knight said, three people stood out among the crowd, leading the charge. Soon enough, a messenger was dispatched. Well, more like shouter, considering how he gave said message.

"Occupants of Fort Mycen!" His irritating, bleating voice boomed over the walls. "The Grand Duke Dorion of the Valmese Empire has you cornered! Within the next hour, he would like to meet with you on the plains! Should you refuse, your fort will be reduced to rubble and your lives forfeit!"

I heard the sound of hooves beating against the earth a moment later, and all was quiet.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"Er, sir?" Someone called next to me. I opened my eyes and turned to him. A regular soldier, Ylissean, standard issue armor and a spear. "Should I gather Lady Cordelia and Duke Virion?"

"Yes," I nodded. "Tell them to meet me by the gates."

The chains of the massive portcullis gates of Fort Mycen rattled as they drew the metal barred slab upwards, allowing the three of us passage through. In front of us stretched the plains of Rosanne, with her armies fanned out around it. Even from our distance I could see the three individuals who led it, waiting for us at the threshold between the valley and the fields.

It was dishonorable, but I wondered how easy it would have been to arrow them from afar. Would their army wither like a snake with its head severed? There were some things you just didn't do, even in a war as savage as the one we were participating in, but I couldn't help but imagine it.

I rode on Pippin to Virion's right, while Cordelia was on her pegasus, Aurora. I found it strange how the pegasus didn't seem to be giving me the stink eye anymore. Lastly, Virion was upon a black steed, next to and leading us. We were backed up by an entire wall full of archers and crossbowmen, and we weren't exactly unarmed; I carried both a silver axe and Sol on my belt, Cordelia had her trusty lance and sword on her hip, and Virion carried a bow and sword.

Still, I kept my guard up. It's what Cordelia and I were there for, after all.

As we approached, I finally got a good look at the three leaders of the army. One was obviously Deadlord Fauder; there was no mistaking that hooded visage, nor the red eyes that glowed like embers in the dirt. The other was fat, draped in a white and crimson robe. His face was large and unwelcoming, like a skull's smile.

Excellus.

The last one was who I surmised the current duke to be. He had long hair styled in a ponytail, the same shade as Virion's, if not a bit darker. He wore a few bits and pieces of armor, mainly on his shoulders and arms, but he had no breastplate. No, that would be too sensible. Instead, he had a finely sewn, smooth tunic, upon which he neglected to button up fully, leaving a good amount of his chest exposed. I could see a bow slung behind his back, but beyond that I saw no weapons.

I saw the smug look on his youthful face, and immediately hated him.

"Ah, uncle!" The man who I assumed to be Dorion laughed, holding a hand to his vulnerable chest. "I see you accepted my invitation!"

"Dorion," Virion greeted curtly, his usual flair long gone. "I had hope that we would not meet on the battlefield one day."

"Yes, but still here we stand!" Dorion replied, that smile never leaving his face. "It was fated, in hindsight. Without your abandonment of our country, we would not be here today. But, alas, here we are, ready to come to blows with your companions. Does it have to be this way, though, uncle?"

Virion held his hand up. "Hold, Dorion. I would know the names of your companions, first."

"Hmph," Dorion sniffed contemptuously. "Very well, so long as you tell me the names of yours, specifically the lovely red-haired woman you brought with you."

I am going to kill him.

"May I introduce myself, my lord?" The fat man beside him asked with a voice several pitches too high. After a small nod from Dorion, the fat man bowed extravagantly, far more than his body would suggest he could. "A pleasure to meet you, my lords and ladies! My name is Excellus, envoy of the most supreme Walhart and tactician of his armies! I must say, you caused quite a stir in the capital when you made landfall. It made it far too easy to persuade His Excellency to bade me come here and stamp out whatever resistance remained!"

"You already know who I am," The hooded Deadlord, Fauder, rasped, his voice a shrill whisper. "It matters not. Soon, you will serve Lord Grima as I do. All of you. Including you, Dorion of Rosanne."

I saw Dorion visibly tremble at that. It was only for a moment, but it was there.

"There. Now, return my courtesy," Dorion demanded.

I don't take orders from bastards.

"This armored gentleman by my side is Alexander, Knight-Captain of our campaign," Virion replied, his tone showing an ample amount of reverence. Just enough to make me feel uncomfortable. "The other is Cordelia, Knight-Captain of the Ylissean Pegasus Knights."

"Indeed?" Dorion murmured, his eyes taking on a glow as they stared in Cordelia's direction. "Hmm. Yes, a perfect name for a beautiful woman. Truly an honor to make your acquaintance."

Cordelia's lips thinned and her eyes looked as if they would shoot lasers out of them at any moment.

"My Lord, might we have more important things to discuss?" Excellus squeaked. "Like how we are going to crush these rabble-rousers within the day? You know my plan; you know that it is fool-proof!"

"I know nothing of the sort, Excellus," Dorion replied, looking down at the robed fat Sage with half-lidded eyes. "Although he is correct. Uncle, you must realize that you cannot win. Surrender to me now, and I promise that your execution will be quick and painless, and your allies will be unharmed. At least, the lovely dames will be. I make no promises for the men."

"What sort of dishonorable-!" Cordelia spoke up, her voice vicious for a brief moment before Virion gave her a sideways glare. She stopped, her face red and sneering.

She could take care of herself, but a primal part of me said that I should've done something. Anything. Just to hurt the piece of shit in front of me.

"Such terms are unacceptable, Dorion," Virion said, looking down at the young duke from the bridge of his nose. "I have an inkling that you knew this all along."

"Why, uncle!" Dorion dramatically spoke, as if he was in a play. "Have you no faith in my words? I would think, with your actions in the past, that you would jump at the chance to atone for your crimes! To save the lives of your allies! Do you want them to suffer, as all of Rosanne has suffered under the Conqueror's thumb? It is only through my deals with the Grimleal that we even show a shred of autonomy now!"

"A shred of autonomy at the cost of the pride and lives of our citizens, perhaps," Virion pointed out, his face slowly twisting with barely-restrained fury. "You have thrown your lot in with Grima and his ilk, Dorion. The corpse that stands beside you cares not for our duchy, for our people. When the Fell Dragon comes back, do you truly believe he will remember your fealty? No. He will harvest the souls of our people like a farmer harvests wheat. Just as every country will fall, so will ours. I wonder when you decided upon this course of action. My actions were cowardly, Dorion, and I will always recognize them as such, but look at what you have done! Your cowardice extends far beyond your person or country! You would throw your loyalty towards the world-ender over a Conqueror, and you believe you have made the right choice!?"

"I would sacrifice a million for myself," Dorion replied nonchalantly, checking his nails. "Your words are empty, Uncle, as they always have been. You are nothing compared to the might of my forces. The Grimleal know who to pick as their allies, and they were right to approach me. You may call them liars and their God a 'Fell Dragon', but I know better than to believe in superstition."

"Your mother would be ashamed of you, Dorion," Virion spat. "Was it not enough that your birth took her away from me? I can no longer call you my nephew; I have no nephew. Before me I see a fool. A coward that outstrips me in every way conceivable. You are craven, Dorion."

"Tough words, uncle. Tough words!" Dorion laughed, the sound echoing across the plains. "I suppose I should have seen this coming. But, do not worry. I have heard Cherche is with you, correct? Since she is not with you, she must be within the fort. Do not worry, uncle, I will make sure she is well cared for after we have slaughtered your forces. Along with you, my dear Cordelia."

"She's mine," I said suddenly through gritted teeth, my voice barely recognizable as my own.

"Ah, is that so?" Dorion hummed, his gaze coming upon me for the first time. "Yes, I can see that pesky little trinket upon your finger. The one that is not made of iron. You must be quite lowly to have gotten such an injury, if you do not mind my saying so. I would not be surprised if you were to fall on the field of battle my uncle has doomed all your men to. When you do, worry not; your wife shall be safe in my arms. And happier, I wager."

It was deathly quiet, after that. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest and in my ears, adrenaline coursing through my veins as my peripheral vision turned red. My hand was on Sol's hilt, then, ready to be unsheathed and slashed through Dorion's throat.

I never got the chance. Cordelia beat me to it.

"How dare you!" Cordelia shouted, her voice like a lion's roar. "You have to be the most insufferable, dishonorable, repugnant, and disrespectful 'man' I have ever met in my entire life! My husband has more dignity in his iron hand than you in your entire body, lecherous wretch! I would sooner drive my spear through my chest and join him in death than ever share your bed!"

Dorion's face became white a sheet, then red as tomato. With impressive speed, he pulled his bow out. It was a dark blue construction, wrapped in leather at the grip with finned ends. An arrow was nocked, ready to be loosed at a moment's notice.

"Say that again, wench! Call me names once more and this arrow will pierce straight through your heart!" Dorion snarled, his eyes staring daggers.

Cordelia's spear was out, pointed at Dorion as well. My hand was still on Sol's hilt, and I saw Virion's own bow out, pointed at the Excellus; an arrow ready to fire. I stared down at the Deadlord, who made no motion to move.

It was silent for a moment, before Virion spoke up once more.

"You have Astra," Virion noted, eyes darting to Dorion. "Is this your final insult? Use the weapon of our family line to slay an innocent woman? Is there no low you would fall to, Dorion?"

"Silence, uncle!" Dorion shouted. "I have had enough of your jibes! Yours I can handle, but to have a woman who should be thanking the Gods above that I'm giving her a chance, insult me in such a fashion is unacceptable!"

"Do you really think you'll get very far if you do that?" I asked rhetorically, my eyes glaring at the pony-tailed fop. "You kill my wife, I kill you. Call me crazy, but I don't think your Deadlord friend will lift a hand to help you."

Dorion's eyes widened slightly, looking over at the motionless Deadlord.

"Your soul belongs to Lord Grima now, Dorion of Rosanne," Fauder said, his voice a deathly hiss, "Death is not an unconquerable barrier. Our Lord's power transcends beyond such mortal concepts. If your death here has been ordained, then who am I to deny his Excellence?"

"You-!" Dorion growled out, his arrow still pointed squarely at Cordelia. I doubted he'd be able to get her with one shot. Either Aurora would take it for her, or she'd shrug it off for a few moments to send her spear through Dorion's face. As much as I would've loved to see that, we couldn't fight there. Not yet. We needed our full strength for the six-thousand men nearby.

Of all people, Excellus was the one who spoke what I was thinking.

"My lord," He said, his voice annoyingly high-pitched as he held a hand up to Dorion. "Let them throw their japes. Come morning, our forces will break through their crumbling walls. You can even have all their corpses strewn across it, my lord. Think of it! Isn't it a beautiful sight to imagine?"

There was a palpable moment where I thought he was going to loose his arrow anyway, dooming all five of us. I was relieved when his eyes closed, and he let out a breath. "You are right, Excellus. How unlike me to lose my temper. But, rest assured, you three," Dorion's eyes rested on us. "Come this time tomorrow, there will be no jesting, no refusal, no survival. You will all fall before me and my army like wheat to a scythe. And when the Fell Dragon cleanses Valm of Walhart, there will be only me, and those who I have deemed worthy of survival."

"The Grimleal's God shows zero favoritism, Dorion," Virion replied, his bow lowered, but gaze still as sharp as ever. "If we are to fall here, you will simply watch as the world turns to ruin, and then your time will come. There is no victory for you; merely delayed defeat. Once this battle is over, I will pry my country from your hands, and restore it to the greatness it once enjoyed."

"You will try, uncle." There was no laughing from Dorion anymore. He was deadly serious. "You will try."

Quietly, the three enemy leaders left us, leaving us alone and staring down an army. We left shortly after, returning to where we came.

Once we were inside, I dismounted and rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to get my nerves under control. I heard the sound of footsteps approaching me. Looking up, I saw Cordelia marching towards me, her gaze fiery.

"Cordy, I-!" I began, only to be silenced as she kissed me furiously. She'd only been that fervent on a few occasions, during… well, it happened rarely.

She relented her attack on my lips and pressed her forehead against my own. "You are going to live." She whispered. There was an unquestionable order in her words. "You are going to live. Do you hear me, Alex?"

I didn't quite understand, so I did what I always did and nodded. I grasped her hand, and her grip nearly crushed it. Trying not to wince, I said: "Of course I am, Cordy."

I could practically feel the relief flow through her when I said that.

"So, we have confirmed that Deadlord Fauder is on their side, as well as this mysterious, er, fat tactician. Beyond that, no captains or commanders of any sort?" Robin asked, the torchlight only lighting one side of his face.

Just a few hours until the Rosannean's attacked, and we were in the goddamn war room, of all places. I was beginning to despise war councils and war rooms. They were a necessary evil but being in a single place for possibly hours as we discussed interesting topics such as troop movements and allocation, well, it could get tedious. And boring.

Deal with it, boy scout.

"That seems to be the case, Robin," Virion sighed. "Dorion is a prideful person, despite his cowardice."

"Hmm. Indeed," Robin hummed. "I would have liked to meet them. But it appears that we will have to wait until we have won the country back."

"And after we deal with the giant army out our doors," I grumbled, my arms crossed.

"That, too," Robin conceded. "Speaking of, Alex, I want you, Vivien, Severa, and Inigo on the wall, overseeing our archers and repelling invaders. If they have broken through, retreat into the keeps and continue the defense. At least until the mercenaries we employed get here."

I shrugged. "Done. If they get here at all, that is."

"Trust me, they will be. I promised them quite a bit of coin," Robin replied, turning to Cordelia. "You, Cherche, and Gerome will be overseeing all sky operations. Make sure their wyvern riders can't get through our walls."

Cordelia nodded silently.

"Virion, Henry and I will be here. Virion will oversee the archers stationed within the keep, while Henry and I will direct the mages and clerics."

Robin stopped for a moment, letting his orders sink in. "This will be a tough battle, but with enough mettle, cunning, and luck, we will get through it."

There was a small cheer, mostly from Vivien and Virion, who seemingly couldn't wait for the battle to start. Cherche giggled but said nothing.

Cordelia and I remained quiet.

The night was suffocating. It was like the darkness itself clawed away at us, at me. At my very being. There we stood on the thick walls of Fort Mycen, staring down at an army of six-thousand poor souls. By my side stood Vivien, Severa, and Inigo, ready and waiting for the enemy to charge, or do anything, really.

We thought it best to prepare despite how early it was. I thought of it as night, but in reality, it was close to sunrise. No one showed a hint of dreariness; every last one of the men under my command was alert and ready. Ready to defend our bastion to their very last breath.

I turned as first light breached the horizon in front of us. A quick glance to Severa was all I needed to get my voice going. "Remember, men! When the enemy throws themselves upon us like waves against rock, do not falter! For every drop of blood they take from us, bleed ten from them! And Roderick, if I find you looting corpses again, so help me God above I will hang you by your toes over this goddamn wall when the battle is over!"

A faint chuckle followed by a scoff from the offending soldier. It was strange that any army would accept a borderline brigand into our ranks, but at that moment I wasn't exactly picky when it came to men on my side.

I turned around to hear my daughter chuckle. "Is that guy really that bad? Roderick, was it?"

I groaned. "You have no idea, sweetheart. He's the definition of a 'fucking asshole'. Probably not as much as Dorion, but still."

"Mmm," Severa hummed idly. "Just make sure you keep your focus, dad. I don't wanna have to protect you from getting blitzed again."

"Where's your faith in me?"

"Same place your brain went, apparently," Severa replied.

"I am unused to such conversation being within earshot," Vivien mumbled to herself.

"Believe me, it doesn't get any better," Inigo whispered, probably thinking I couldn't hear him. "I swear, that entire family is crazy-!"

"Why, Inigo," I said suddenly, startling the young white-haired man. "Did you just say you want to meet the entire Rosannean army on the field of battle? Alone? Unarmed? Naked?"

"N-no sir!" Inigo hastily replied. "Forgive me, merely a, uh… Oh, look, the enemy!"

It became silent again once I looked out over the wall again. Their army was clearly visible, now, with the morning sun stretched out across the horizon behind them.

I unhooked the axe at my hip and, likewise, the three around me drew their swords.

This is where it begins. I can feel it.

"Archers, Crossbowmen, at the ready!" I commanded, my voice booming over the men behind us.

For several seconds, it was as if the entire world stood still. Not a thing moved, as if out of fear that it would set off a powder keg.

Then, with a single blow of a horn on the Rosannean side, that illusion was shattered. I could feel the rumbling of the earth as thousands of feet stomped at the ground towards us. They were disorganized, attempting to erect ladders onto our walls.

"Archers, now!" I shouted, holding my axe out to the vast army.

Arrows and bolts were loosed and shot in a giant swarm of projectiles, falling onto the Rosanneans and Risen like a hailstorm. Men were bolted through the necks, falling down in a heap onto the grass below. Risen took several arrows to the chest before eventually succumbing. It was like watching a race to see who died first.

Even with all our archers and crossbowmen, however, they eventually made it to the wall. It was like watching ants crawling up a mountain over the bodies of their comrades. The Rosannean didn't have time to build proper siege towers or catapults, leading to them simply rushing our ranks like lambs to the slaughter. Ladders slammed against the parapets, and the soldiers and Risen climbed over each other to get to the top.

It would have been a lovely morning if it weren't for this.

A beautiful sunrise stretched over the horizon, highlighting the bloodbath that was commencing. The first of the soldiers and Risen made it to the top of the wall, swinging wildly at any of our men in their way. Our response was swift and brutal. My axe found its way into a poor bastard's skull, and he fell backward onto his friend, sending them both tumbling down to the cruel earth below. The world around me erupted into a maelstrom of clashing steel and low, guttural snarls. Above, wyverns roared and pegasi screeched as they clashed in airborne combat, sending the bodies of flying creatures and their riders down to our level like stones thrown by trebuchets.

I kept a close eye on Severa. Watching her movements out of the corner of my vision was remarkably easy, almost as if she wanted me to see. She was still in the process of becoming a Pegasus Knight, but even then, she still preferred swords over spears. Her movements were graceful, yet powerful. Red eyes glowed behind her; a Risen stood there, ready to cut her in half with his massive greatsword. He never got the chance, though, not with Vivien nearby, the golden trace of Hearth Arcturus cutting through man and monster alike. Inigo was holding his own nearby, although it was clear the poor boy wasn't used to such combat. He still danced among the growing enemy ranks, slashing through the living and dead just as easily as my daughter did.

Returning to the present, I grabbed the ledge of a ladder with several people still on it and shoved, sending it and the men on it to the stained dirt below, crushing even more beneath the heavy wooden construction. With Sol at the ready on my belt, and axe and shield in hand, I engaged every enemy I could find. I drove my axe into a Risen's side, and when it pivoted its torso around to try and get at me with its mace, I kicked it to the ground and finished it off with a swift stomp to the head. Another person, a living man who was clearly terrified, shot at me with reckless abandon and screeches, attempting to knock me down. He bounced back after ramming his shoulder into my plate armor, shouting a curse under his breath before he looked up at me, and the glinting axe that split his head a moment later.

I lost track of time while we were fighting. It could have been five minutes or an hour and I would've been none the wiser. That happened a lot, especially in the bigger battles. We couldn't hold out forever, though; we were not without our own casualties. Our men were good and strong, but even they would fall to sheer numbers. Conscripted Rosannean soldiers would team up on a single one of our men, and each loss on our side was felt. Their side, on the other hand, was constantly resupplied by fresh troops. Their numbers weren't infinite either, but without the help of the mercenaries Robin employed, we would've been fucked. They outnumbered us three-to-one.

I snarled in surprise as a Rosannean slammed into my left side, knocking my axe out of my hand. He stood tall, a dumb smirk on his face.

That smile was quickly wiped off when I lunged forward and hooked my iron hand under his breastplate and held the other one over his shoulder. He struggled and screamed as I lifted him up. I could hear his curses over the sound of battle, like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Get! Off! My! Wall!" I roared, throwing him over the edge. The sound of his terrified screeches went on forever.

I took a deep breath and unsheathed Sol, continuing to fight. It wasn't long after that, however, that I realized that we were going to lose the wall no matter how hard we fought. Man after Risen went down around us yet there was no end to them.

"Vivien!" I shouted to the black-haired Rosannean, who was just finishing off a poor conscript. "Sound the retreat! Get everyone to the keep, now!"

"Aye, sir!" Vivien replied loudly. "To the keep! To the keep! Continue the fight at the keep!"

I made sure every soldier who was still alive was moving towards the keep, fighting every Rosannean and Risen that dared try to catch them off guard. Inigo went with Vivien to secure our retreat, while Severa stood by my side and watched my back. It was amazing to fight alongside her if I was honest. A sense of pride pervaded me with every flawless slash of steel, with her impeccable footwork, pretty much everything.

…What is that glow. In the field.

An unearthly, fiery glow bloomed from far into the enemy's ranks. It was like watching a second sunrise, it was so bright for a moment.

My eyes widened as I began to figure out what the light was.

"Everyone, c'mon! C'mon! Get to the keep, goddamnit!" I snarled, finishing off a Risen and grabbing Severa by the arm.

"Whuh-!?" She blearily spat out before looking me in the eye, and she went quiet.

"No time!" I said, "We need to-!"

No time. That's what I said. How right I was.

Beneath the middle of our wall the earth came alive. It was as if a caldera spawned beneath the stonework, and within moments it erupted. The wall slumped downward, as if gravity suddenly grew stronger there, and then it exploded like a frag grenade. An entire chunk of our wall was lost within the writhing, glowing lava spawned by the Rosannean army. The explosion sent bits of broken and molten rock flying into the sky, and directly toward us.

Bolganone.

I made a snap decision; gathering Severa in my arms, I raised my shield up towards the sky, from the direction the debris was coming from. My armor covered the rest of her. I felt the heat as piece after melted pieces landed and bounced off my armor and shield. Severa was silent.

The debris stopped, and I released her.

"Y-you idiot!" Severa seethed, hissing. "You absolute fucking-!"

"You can insult me later, sweetheart," I replied, deadpan. "Right now we need to get to the keep. If the wall wasn't lost before…" I looked at the gaping, smoldering hole within said wall. "…Well, it is now."

Severa opened her mouth to say something, but at the last moment she bit her lip, and kept silent. Well, she did until she screamed and pointed behind me. "Dad-!"

"Huh-!?"

I spun around just in time to see a Risen rise up as if from the grave. An axe was held over its head, impossibly far. There wasn't any time to-

A spear head pierced through its chest. It gargled, turning its head to look at a very angry Cordelia. My wife tore the spear out of its back and threw the disintegrating corpse to the ground.

"Are you both alright?" She asked quickly, helping Severa up as I watched out for more soldiers or Risen.

"Y-yeah, we're fine, mom," Severa stuttered out before looking at her confusedly. "Where's your pegasus? Where's Aurora?"

"She's in the keep," Cordelia replied. "We won the air; not a single Chevalier will assault the keep's walls. I came back down here as quickly as I could when I realized the wall was lost."

"Well, uh…" Severa rubbed the back of her neck. "Thanks, I guess."

Cordelia smiled. "Think nothing of it, love."

Along with what little of our men were both still alive and outside the keep, we made our way back. Rosannean's and Risen crawled all over our fallen wall like flies on a carcass. I wondered just how many of their own men the Rosannean's killed with that stunt. Not that I thought Dorion or Excellus cared in the slightest.

We were at the gates to the keep. I was surprised that Cordelia seemed to be keeping pace with Severa and I; she was never the best at running, funnily enough. Then again, adrenaline was a hell of a motivator.

It was looking like we were going to be the last to enter the keep when I saw it. Another glow, smaller than the one that caused the destruction of a portion of our wall, rose into existence. It came from the wall this time and aimed directly at us.

My right hand hurt.

"Alex?" Cordelia asked, concern etched in her tone.

I didn't have time to do anything except shove her out of the way and through the gates. A fireball shot out from the wall, aimed directly at the wooden gates of our keep, and more importantly, at Cordelia and Severa.

That never happened.

I felt as the fireball, larger than any I'd ever seen, punched straight into my shield. A raw, ungodly burning unlike anything I'd ever felt surged through my right arm as I felt something go flying. The familiar weight of my iron hand was gone as I was flung through the air like a ragdoll, slamming into the wall just next to the gates.

Consciousness soon left me after that, though not before I heard the sound of Cordelia and Severa screaming.

I feel evil for that cliffhanger, after all the flags Alex raised during this chapter, heh.

Also, we're almost at Chapter 50! Holy-fucking-dogshit, this fic is going to be epic-sized by the time I'm done with it. I'm predicting anywhere between 600k to 800k. Less than some fics in the FE archive, but pretty sizeable all its own.

Also, special thanks to my boi mixedvalence for proofreading this chapter for me. You may know him as the author of Earthborne - an SI into Fates - but recently he published the first chapter to his new story: Those Who Can't Teach, an SI into Three Houses! If you wanna get in on his story while it's still in its infancy, then go ahead and look it up. Trust me; it gud.

Here's a link to our Discord server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a

Hope you all have a good rest of your day.

Edited on 3/30/21. Cordelia got boss experience for that kill.