All four of us were caught in stunned silence as Yen'fay knelt in front of us, as still as a statue. Several of the soldiers closest to him followed suit. I looked at them all, the vast army that I was so sure we'd be fighting against within the hour. They were good men, from the looks of things, perhaps not battle-hardened but that always came with time. Their lacquered and leather armor was more than enough to stop slashes from swords, at least.

I gently nudged Chrom by the shoulder. When he looked at me, bewildered, I hissed: "Say something…!"

"Uh." Chrom coughed into his hand before reassuming a more noble stance. "May I ask why you'd surrender your forces to us so easily?"

"There is no reason for us to fight now that the worm Excellus lies dead," Yen'fay intoned. "Aye, it was by his hand that I was forced to give my Chon'sin to Walhart on a silver platter. Once the Conqueror lies slain as well, Chon'sin will no longer be my own, but I would rather correct my mistakes then allow myself to wither away or to be cut down by one of your blades."

Before Chrom or anyone else could speak, Say'ri beat us to it. "Has insanity grasped you so tightly that you expect me to believe this farce? You are no better than the tales I heard of Dorion to the east! You sold our nation, our countrymen, to the Conqueror, and now that his pet snake lies dead, you instead cast your lot in with the victors? Fie, 'tis insulting to call you a human; you act as an animal, an insect!"

Jesus Christ, that's a bit harsh.

"Excellus threatened something important to me," Yen'fay replied evenly. "Beyond that, it was by his and my own hand that Chon'sin still remains intact. Had we fought, the Conqueror would have marched across our fields and murdered all who opposed him. Now that the worm lies dead, I no longer have to fear retribution for rebellion. Not from him. You proved to me that Walhart's 'vision' is nothing more than the delusion of a madman. A powerful madman, but a madman nonetheless."

"You could not have-!"

"Say'ri, please!" Chrom exclaimed, turning to the black-haired swordswoman. "I'll handle this."

For a second, it seemed as if Say'ri would argue. However, a moment later she bowed her head and took a step back. "…As you say, Prince Chrom."

Chrom nodded and looked back to the Chon'sinian Emperor. "Not that I'll look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm still… confused. I know you just said that Excellus threatened something, but what is it?"

"…'Tis not something that should be spoken aloud," Yen'fay replied sadly. "My heart curses me that I had to make such a choice at all, and yet I know that if given the chance, I would make the same choice again. Were I not honor-bound to cast Walhart down alongside you, I would have turned my blade against myself and stopped the accursed pain. Should you wish it, however, I will gladly do it all the same. As Say'ri says, I do not think like a man; rather, an insect. An animal. There is nothing left for me once this war is over, and when it does, I shall take my dishonor with me to the far corners of the world or to the grave. Whichever shall have me."

I looked to Chrom. "We can't just let an army of this size go, Chrom. It'll take us a while to get them ready and march north, but we can end the war within the next two or three months."

Chrom's brow furrowed. "That will still lead us straight into winter. Damn it all."

"We do have a limited timeframe, yes," Robin said. "And I know what you're thinking about, Chrom: Grima is out there, somewhere, waiting to strike. But right now, Walhart lies to the north and he will not listen to reason. We must deal with him before we can fight the true enemy."

I shrugged. "What's another winter on this goddamn continent anyway?"

Once we leave, I never want to come back here again.

"Another winter away from my daughter…" Chrom murmured.

"…Chrom, I didn't mean it like that," I quickly backpedaled. "I was just saying-!"

"I know what you meant, Alex. Peace," Chrom smiled. A smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Both of you are right. We can't well leave this army out here, can we? I'll take all the help I can, and gladly. Yen'fay!"

The swordsman looked up, his eyes blank.

"I accept your fealty," Chrom said. "Within the week, we will march north and dismantle the Empire once and for all."

"And what of me?" Yen'fay asked.

"You're coming with us," Chrom replied. "No matter what you and Say'ri say, you're a skilled warrior. And, personally… I can understand trying to save something you love, even if it results in more tragedy later. It's not a good trait to have, I know, but it's one we share."

"You speak as if you have read my mind," Yen'fay stated, standing up. "Very well, Prince Chrom of Ylisse. From this moment forward, I am no longer Chon'sin's ruler. Point me in the direction of your enemies, and I will strike them down without a second thought. In their blood, perhaps I will find redemption."

"If that is possible, then you would have been redeemed long ago," Say'ri commented acidly. "You may work alongside us, but until proven otherwise, you are no longer my brother. When this war is over and our enemies are gone, I will take Chon'sin's throne. There will be a new era of peace and freedom for the continent, with new, wiser rulers at the helm."

Yen'fay looked down, his eyes staring off into nothing. "…Aye, Say'ri. That is a beautiful dream."

The work required to suddenly accommodate several thousand new soldiers in our army almost made me want to tear my hair out. Even with Phila, Robin, and Cordelia to help me through it, it proved to be a greater challenge than anticipated. I was the Knight-Captain, after all; it was my job to oversee the army. Back in Rosanne, our numbers were smaller, and towards the beginning of our Valmese campaign, we'd only dealt with a few battles. Even when we reconnected with the main army, it was relatively simple. I already knew how many men we had, how many we'd gained, how many we'd lost, but it was different with the arrival of the Chon'sinians.

Tensions were high. Not in the traditional sense, though. As long as there were people, there'd be someone who wanted someone else dead, after all. Instead of that, it was the kind of tension I only felt once before: the day before the final battle of the Plegian War, three years before. My nights had become more restless than usual, leaving me sleep-deprived.

That didn't matter, though. Not to me. I still had a job to do.

"I was thinking of moving the myrmidons to the middle. Protect the archers." I said, my pain scribbling against the parchment as Phila paced behind me.

"That leaves my Pegasus Knights vulnerable. Unless I move them to the middle as well, they will have no protection against enemy arrows." She rebuked me.

"Eh, yeah. I'm looking at it now and…" I lifted the parchment up to my face and squinted. "Damn, that really does leave you wide open." I crumpled the piece of parchment and placed it against my desk. "Where the hell is Robin? He'd be able to help out with this."

"Discussing troop movements with Chrom, I believe," Phila informed me. I realized a moment later how embarrassing it was that I had no idea where Robin, my sworn lord, was. Then again, shame was a thing I always felt when in Phila's presence. "We're only discussing troop composition. Once we are finished, we will have to deliver the plans to him so that he can direct where our troops should be."

"And all of this is only if we meet the Valmese on the field of battle. A blank field. Not in their stronghold. Fucking…" I rested my forehead against the palm of my hand. "We're running this goddamn army like amateurs. How did we make it this far?"

"It may not be the most efficient way of running it, but every one of us is military-minded. We would simply have not made it this far if we were doing something wrong," Phila replied, stopping just behind me. "Despite your inexperience, you have done an adequate job. The experience of this war will serve you well when you take Sir Frederick's place."

"Take Frederick's place, huh?" I murmured. "Still going on about how Cordelia and I will take your guys' place when this is all over?"

Phila nodded. "Perhaps even before that, should either of us fall in battle."

"I'd rather that not happen, Phila."

The Falcon Knight raised a brow, looking at me as if I'd said something surprising. "Is that so? I was under the impression that you did not care for me."

"When the hell did you-?" My eyes widened as I remembered our conversation in the command tent weeks ago. "God, it was that, wasn't it? Phila, look. I was in a bad place back then. I was an idiot, a moron, whatever you wanna call me. Cordelia and I got in a tizzy over my bullshit, and I almost died along with the men who followed me. You're right about us, you know. Completely. We should've been more careful. I wanna believe she'll recover and give birth before all this shit is over, but that's not realistic. I don't hate you, Phila."

"…Hmm," Phila hummed, continuing her pacing. "Perhaps you are not as hopeless as I'd deemed you as. You realize your flaws at the very least. You still won't be in direct command for some time, but it is a start."

I spread out fresh parchment across the desk, wiping my forehead. "I've always known my flaws, Phila. Rage just has a way of blinding you, I guess. It's happened before, and, well…" I lifted my iron hand up onto the desk. "I wasn't left-handed before then."

"Quite," Phila commented. "It is good that you didn't lose both hands in that incident, I suppose."

I barked a laugh. "Might as well throw me into the sea if that ever happens. I'll be useless."

"Cordelia would have objections to that course of action."

I shrugged. "Yeah, probably. Still, I'd rather be dead than completely useless. But with Cordy and Sev in the equation… well, I can't just go die on them, can I?"

"That would be unwise, yes."

"God, are you always this blunt, or is today a special day?" I asked exasperatedly.

"You of all people should not lecture me on being 'blunt'." Phila shot back.

"Alas, my poor heart has been struck. Please, tell Cordy and Sev that I love them. Also, let them know that the one who killed me was you. I wanna see them tear you to shreds."

I saw Phila's brow twitch. Not much, but enough to tell me that I was actually, honest to God, getting under her skin. "How much longer will we continue this game? We have troop compositions to work on. We don't have time to jape. Or perhaps you would like it if an entire group of soldiers consisted of nothing but men with swords against fully armored knights?"

I waved my iron hand, chuckling. "Nah, you're right. Let's get this finished. It's hot as hell in here anyway."

A lot of my time was taken up by troop compositions and movements. By the time I was really getting into it, I barely had any to spare to be with Cordelia or Severa. Hell, even when I did, the moments were fleeting.

Luckily, about a week before we left Kamui behind us for good, I finally had a chance to spend more time with Cordelia in particular. Ever since she received her burn, I'd been helping her regain full motion in her back and arms. What with her being pregnant and all, however, we couldn't do anything too strenuous like combat training. All we were doing were some stretches and light exercises. Just something to loosen her up a bit.

"How do your arms feel now?" I asked after we were done, sitting down on our bed.

Cordelia winced a bit as she stretched her right arm across her chest. "It's… it's getting there, at the very least. Still feels somewhat off, though. As if something is keeping me from pushing it completely."

I nodded. "And your back?"

Cordelia sighed, sitting down beside me. "Just as tight as it was weeks ago. I'm starting to think that the clerics and priests were wrong."

I patted her on the shoulder. "You'll get there, Cordy. It just takes time. And there's the, well…" I looked down at her swelling stomach, hearing my heartbeat in my eardrums. "Once that's over with, we'll be able to do a little more. It'll go faster by then. Hell, it'll go much faster with all the stuff we're doing right now! Just gotta have a little patience is all."

"Patience, hmm?" Cordelia hummed, leaning against me. "Were it anyone else, I would just become frustrated. You're lucky you're so handsome."

I coughed into my fist. "Well, alright. Where'd that come from?"

She looked at me, confused. "What? I can't compliment you?"

"No, no, not that. It's just, well," I rubbed the back of my head, trying not to stare down at her neck and collarbone. "Sometimes it's just weird to hear that. Can't really explain it."

"Please, don't tell me that you don't see what I see," Cordelia chided lightly. "You remember what I told you of the Pegasus Knights under my command, love? I doubt that's stopped, even with me gone. I suppose it's a bit gratifying, at least."

I raised a brow. "Gratifying, huh? That what you feel?"

"Forget I said anything." Cordelia waved off. "Look at me, saying all of these things. This is what happens when you do nothing but wander around a tent all day and read."

"Well, what do you read?" I asked, leaning back.

Cordelia looked at me strangely, with a brow raised. "…Not that I want you to leave, Alex, but I know there's a lot of work for you to do."

I shrugged. "I got another hour or two before I have to do anything. I'd rather spend it with the woman I love. Relax, you know?"

A light blush spread across Cordelia's pale cheeks. "I appreciate that, love. If I'm honest, it's been a bit boring since you've been swamped with work. Since you asked, well, I've been reading 'Genealogy of the Holy War'."

I nodded. "Historical account, right? About that big war on… Jugdral, was it?"

"Yes!" Cordelia replied excitedly, taking a beige-colored book off the desk. One I hadn't noticed. "Oh, the subtitle is actually a bit more, er, descriptive? 'The Tale of Lord Sigurd and Deirdre and the liberation of Grannvale by Seliph.'. Quite a long one, but I suppose it gets the point across."

"Yeah, them. Seliph was Sigurd's son, right?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. He wielded Tyrfing long after his father passed and used it to liberate much of Jugdral from the Grannvale Empire. It's quite a long tale, and what happened to Sigurd and Deirdre is… well, I have never been much for tragedies, less so ones that are said to have happened in real life, but I will make an exception for this one. I just wish I had my copy of the 'War of Heroes and Shadows'."

I smiled as Cordelia continued. There was a reason Sumia and Cordelia were friends; they had more in common than many people saw. Their biggest difference was that Sumia preferred fiction, while Cordelia liked historical accounts and combat manuals more. It was actually pretty funny, in a sad way; Robin and Cordelia had similar tastes in books, yet they despised each other. Well, Cordelia despised him.

Maybe I can use that to get her to stop…

She spoke to me, with the occasional interjection by me, for a good while. Most of my free time, in fact, and I didn't regret a single moment of it. I could watch and hear her talk about books all day. I even did a good bit of reading myself, for the first in what felt like years.

"What happened to them after that?" I queried, barely keeping a smile off my face. "You talked about Larcei and Johalvier, and Leif and Nanna, but what about Seliph and Julia?"

Cordelia looked up at me. Her head was in my lap as she held the book in her hands. "They're half-siblings, so I doubt they were 'together' in the same way those two were," Cordelia said, turning another page in the book. "There actually isn't a lot to say about what happened after. It's said the remnants of the Loptyrians continued their raids and child hunts for several years afterward, but they eventually fell. Either they gave up their faith and went into exile, or they were hunted down. After that, though, there's nothing."

"Huh," I whistled. "Bit of an anti-climactic ending, huh?"

"Well, it's the account of a historical event that happened on a far continent, love. This was patched together from what little has trickled down to us. Some have even said this all happened long before the Hero-King Marth rose to fame."

I nodded. "When you put it like that, I guess I see your point. I gotta start reading books again; been too long since I've read a good novel. I used to read that shit all the time, you know. Although I don't think we have any of the old books I used to read."

Cordelia rested her book on her chest. "What kind of books did you read? Back in your… old world, I mean."

"Mostly fiction, honestly. Like Sumia." I shrugged. "Just stuff to get me through long school days or shit like that. A little bit horror, a dash of science fiction, you know, the works."

Cordelia raised a brow. "'Science fiction'?"

I waved my hand. "It'd take me days to explain it. They talked about a lot more advanced stuff than even we had. Hell, I doubt even Miriel would be able to understand some of the crap in them without proper context."

Cordelia raised a brow before turning her head in my lap. "Well now I'm really interested in what this 'science fiction' is. I've heard Miriel talk of 'science' before, but I never really learned anything she spoke of."

"It's not really relevant to our line of work, so I don't blame you." I chuckled.

"Why don't you write them down? The books, I mean." Cordelia asked, turning her head to look up at me again. "I doubt many people would complain. Perhaps you'd even become famous."

"Isn't that plagiarism?" I replied, running my good hand through her red hair.

"Not if there's no one to argue with you," Cordelia smirked. "Think of it, love. You already have so many titles, why not add 'published and successful author' to it?"

"Well, it's tempting, but there's only one title I really want."

Cordelia wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled herself toward me. Her face was mere inches away from my own, and beautiful red eyes looked deep into mine. "And what might it be, Alex?"

"Husband and Father," I answered quietly.

Cordelia kissed me, tenderly. I responded in kind.

I was glad I was still alive to feel that sensation. When I was with her like that, there was no anger. No voice in the back of my head goading me. All I felt was the warmth in my chest, and the feel of her body pressing against my own. What use was anger when I had them?

I will never let you go.

When we parted, Cordelia trailed her fingers down my cheek. "…That was two titles, love."

I blinked. "Huh? It is-? Oh. You're right."

Cordelia giggled as she pecked me on the lips again. "It's a good thing you have such a handsome face."

"Handsome? Is that what you call this scar-ridden mess?"

She traced the scars in question with her fingers. "I meant what I said, love. Besides, is it really so hard to believe? Sometimes scars can make someone look more… gods, what's the word? Distinguished? I happen to think they enhance your looks. Not that you weren't easy on the eyes beforehand."

"Oh yeah? And what about when I call you beautiful? Or gorgeous?" I replied. "Swear to God, every time I look at you, I think 'how the hell did I get this woman to love me?'. Sometimes feel like you're way out of my league."

Her cheeks became slightly flushed. "Gods, are we really doing this right now?"

"Doing what? You don't like compliments?" I smirked. "They aren't empty, you know. You're not just beautiful; you're smart as hell and strong, too. If I'm being honest that almost gets to me more than your beauty. Just a little bit."

"How are you not embarrassed saying that!?" Cordelia hid her face in my chest. "It's like you have no shame at all!"

"You basically said the same thing just a second ago!" I laughed, hugging her close to me. "Guess I know where Severa gets that attitude from, heh."

Cordelia groaned but didn't move.

I love you, Cordelia.

Despite how busy I was while we were at Kamui, I didn't neglect my training. The sparring practice in particular, I never missed out on. Back in the old days, when Frederick was still around with us, I never missed one of his Fitness Hours. It became a habit; when we weren't expected to do battle or to march, I never forgot to work my body out. Even with the iron hand, that never changed. Luckily for me, while most of the other Shepherds weren't absolute maniacs like I was, some of them were always ready for a good spar.

Which led to a four-way brawl between me, Vaike, Priam and Chrom.

Sweat dripped off my chin and brow as I hefted my axe, trying to strike at Chrom only to be blocked by his training blade, and sent back. Vaike and I were using wooden training axes, while Priam and Chrom were using wooden swords. It wouldn't be fair to use our main weapons in an all-out brawl, after all. It'd likely never end, as well.

There was no real way to block with an axe, unfortunately, and since I didn't have a shield, I had to settle to parrying the massive blows Priam, Vaike and Chrom threw my way. When they weren't fighting among themselves of course.

"Ya got a lotta force, Priam," Vaike smirked toothily, attempting to strike the blue-haired mercenary across the stomach. Priam's sword stopped the axe-blow and pushed Vaike off of him. "Let's see ya use it!"

"You're not so bad yourself!" Priam said excitedly, pointing the end of his sword at the fighter. "I'm actually starting to enjoy myself!"

Chrom and I clashed against each other, sword against axe. "Is it just me, or have you gotten better?"

Chrom chuckled. "Fighting every day on the front lines will do that to you, I'm afraid. You're doing well, too, though! You're not even using Sol and yet you're matching me blow for blow."

I barked a laugh. "You're just as lively as ever, too! C'mon, show me more!"

We fought like that for a straight hour, with none of us giving into the exhaustion slowly creeping up, or falling to someone else's weapon. We never fought dirty; blows to the back were frowned upon, although that was never voiced. With every blow I dealt to Priam, Vaike and Chrom pelted me with a dozen more. It was clear, to me at least, that Vaike and I were out of our league whenever Priam and Chrom fought together, in the brief instances where they did so.

I didn't take it hard; it was actually a bit satisfying that it took two superhumans to put Vaike and I on the back foot. And they certainly were superhuman. I didn't know about Priam's supposed ancestor, but you didn't get strong enough to swing a greatsword around with one-hand by being an average joe, and Chrom was the same. Falchion would have to be two-handed for any normal person to lift, let alone swing, and the lord did it with one hand like the thing was made of parchment.

Luckily, we tended to switch up who was fighting who at different times, so Chrom and Priam weren't absolutely dominating us most of the time. It was still worth mentioning, though.

After over and hour of intense sparring, I finally found myself slipping up. I took more blows than I did at the beginning, and I decided to stop there. I limped over to the side of the little dirt arena we set up.

"I'm out! I'm out!" I waved my arm, rubbing my knee. "Fucking hell…"

Unsurprisingly, Vaike was thrown out just a moment later. I looked down at the tan blond, watching the sweat roll down his face as he attempted to catch his breath.

"Should know when you're beaten, Teach," I commented, wiping my brow. "Those two are fuckin' monsters."

"T-Teach is a monster too!" Vaike disagreed, sitting up. "J-Just you wait! When we go on the damned battlefield again, it'll be the Vaike who comes out on top!"

I laughed. "Vaike, we're good. Me and you? We're damn good soldiers. But those two? Those two are in a league of their own."

Vaike looked up at me and grimaced. Scratching at his spiky hair, he groused: "Quit sayin' it like that can't change. The Vaike ain't never given up on a challenge. This one ain't no different."

I shook my head. "It's not about a challenge, Vaike. Just look at these two."

Priam swung his wooden sword at Chrom's head, though the lord simply ducked and struck at his knees. The force from Priam's failed blow alone shot a wave of air towards us. Felt like wind. Priam grunted as he kicked forward, sending Chrom tumbling to the ground, only for the Prince to roll out of the way as Priam's sword aimed to cut him in half. Chrom wasn't on the defensive for long, however, as he surged upward and sent Priam back a couple paces. The two superhumans went at it again, matching each other blow for blow, neither one showing any sign of giving up.

"That's the kinda shit you and I will never reach," I pointed out. "They're on a different level, Vaike. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

"Har. Easy for you to say," Vaike grumbled, falling to his back again. "Been Chrom's rival for years, Alex, and this guy looks like he's muscling in on my territory. I'd knock him silly but the dastard's just too damned tough. It's like tryin' to break a stone wall with a dagger. Teach can best twenty men in a fight, but them? They're worth twice that."

"But you kept going 'till your ass was literally kicked." I replied.

"You're gods' damned right I did!"

I shrugged. "Just pointing shit out, Vaike. No need to get touchy."

"The Vaike ain't touchy! You're touchy!" Vaike accused.

"What an insult," I responded, deadpan. "I wonder what I'll do now that my pride has been completely shattered. Maybe I'll go and kill myself."

"You're lucky I like ya, otherwise I'd go and tattle to Cordy 'bout that little quip." Vaike smugly smirked up at me.

"You wouldn't fucking dare."

"Ya really wanna bet with Teach, Alex? Or do ya remember what happened last poker game when ya tried to best him?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You're more prickly than a goddamn cactus. Here I was thinking Sully was the love of your life, but here you are getting all territorial with Chrom and shit. Do you have a crush on him? He's married, unfortunately."

"Quit yappin' before it gets ya in trouble!" Vaike exclaimed, sitting up and getting to his feet. "The Vaike only likes the ladies, ya hear? And Sully's the bestest you've ever seen!"

I crossed my arms, not backing down. "Cordelia would like to have a word with you."

"I ain't letting this go 'till you admit it!" Vaike harrumphed. "Let's get 'em, see who wins between 'em!"

"Vaike, Cordy is pregnant."

Vaike blinked before scratching his scalp again. "…Well, damn. I was actually getting' kinda excited there for a sec. That put a damper on my mood."

"You have more adrenaline in your fucking veins than an entire army. It won't keep you down for long. Hell, if you want, go ahead and rejoin the deathmatch going on in there." I turned back to the arena, where Priam and Chrom were still going at it.

"Wonder what Sumia'll say when she sees Chrom all bruised like that," Vaike chuckled to himself. "Whaddaya think she'll do? The dastard's already whipped, just a matter how much."

"Definitely some chewing out," I snickered. "You forgot Lissa, though. She'll give him an earful."

"Ah, forgot about the lil' squirt!" Vaike tapped his forehead. "Ain't never forget nothing, Alex. Forget I said anythin'."

"Huh?" I looked to him. "I was too busy watching Priam take your place as Chrom's sparring partner."

"Gods- You know I'm still prickly 'bout that!" Vaike frowned.

"And I'm gonna ask again, why?" I gestured to the two blue-haired warriors. "Look at this, Vaike. What more could Chrom need? Look, if it really means so much to you, you can be my rival instead."

Vaike crossed his arms, a smirk crossing his face. "It ain't all about bein' a rival, Alex. The Vaike wants everyone to be their best, yeah? What better way to do that then to challenge 'em? Been doin' that for Chrom ever since we were kids, and I did it to ya when ya came to us, remember? Ms. The Vaike helped too, I guess, but lets be real, it was mostly me, heh?"

I snorted. "Sully can still kick your ass and my ass, Vaike. Don't try and lie to me."

"And Teach couldn't be happier!" Vaike fist-pumped. "Gods' damn, she's strong, and Kjelle is even stronger. Ya haven't seen her get on a destrier and swing her axe at enemies. She's a juggernaut!"

I chuckled, waving my iron hand. "Sure, sure."

"Har har! Look at you, actin' like you weren't a lil' pudgy thing when Chrom picked you up off the road!" Vaike hooted. "Damn, thinkin' back then, you could barely hold a sword right. Now look at ya! Knight-Captain of Ylisse's forces her in shitty Valm! Almost enough to make Teach cry."

I shrugged. "Really only a Knight-Captain in name now. Since that fucking blunder a couple days ago, at least."

"And will ya let that stop ya?" Vaike asked challengingly. "Will ya let this be the end? Just go back to bein' a random grunt on the frontlines?"

I laughed. "Not a chance in hell."

Vaike smacked my back, guffawing. "That's what Teach likes to hear! Ain't no hesitation, ain't not deliberation! Just action! I like that! Har har! What say we take this sparring somewhere else, yeah? Just me and you!"

I looked at the truly epic battle in front of us. Chrom and Priam were still going at it like they were possessed. Through the sweat and dirt, though, I could see the smiles on their faces. They were enjoying it, long after Vaike and I had to bow out. I rubbed my shoulder, feeling the soreness in it.

"Think I'm done for today, Vaike," I informed him. "Don't wanna go back to Cordy with bruises and shit all over my body. And we both know what Sully will do to you if she finds out you fought until you passed out again."

Vaike's face grew pale, which was especially notable because of how tan his skin was. "Uh, yeah. Now that ya mention it, think I'll go ahead and turn in for the day too. Ya wanna watch these knuckle-draggers? Can't have 'em tear themselves apart before we go to Valm's capital."

I waved my hand. "I got them, Vaike," I assured. "Go ahead and get a cleric ready, though. I have a feeling they'll be going at it for a long while yet."

"Gods' blood, you're right…" Vaike trailed off, slowly walking away. "Damn them! I can't let 'em get past me like this!"

"Vaike? Vaike!? I said get a-! Oh, who gives a fuck?" I groused, rubbing my temple as Vaike stormed off. "If you guys can hear me, can you wrap this up soon? It'll be sundown before long and Cordy wanted me back by then."

The two combatants apparently didn't hear me, and I sighed frustratedly.

I looked to my side to see our army marching alongside us, leaving Kamui behind finally. The damaged fortress would likely be repaired by the Chon'sinians when the war was over. I would never see it again, though. I'd never see Valm again once we left. I decided that the instant Cordelia was burned. Too many bad memories on the continent. The time spent in Archanea meant more to me than anything we'd done in Valm.

"Spacing out again, Alex?" Chrom asked beside me, a good-natured smile on his face.

I turned to the blue-haired lord, perplexed for a minute before shaking my head. "No. No, Chrom, I'm good."

"We could stop, if you want. Set up a nice area beneath a tree and stargaze." He supplied, chuckling.

"Scathing, Chrom. When'd you get so witty? Was it before or after Sumia whipped you?"

Chrom coughed into his fist, patting his horse's neck as he lightly glared at me. "Someone must've slept on the wrong side of the bed this morning. No need to aim so low, Alex."

I grunted. "You started it," I frowned before turning to him again. "That was pretty mean-spirited, actually. Sorry."

"No harm done. Besides, there's nothing wrong with being loyal, right?" Chrom gave me a knowing look.

"If that's what being 'whipped' means, then absolutely," I murmured, nearly losing myself in the view to our left and right. "It's hard to believe, isn't it, Chrom? How big our army is. How right everything has gone."

"What do you mean?" Chrom asked, brow raised.

"It's just," I shook my head, trying to find the right words. "Well, look around. We've done a helluva lot of good here. Walhart's gonna fall. There's no doubt about that. But I look at all this and I almost feel like everything's gone too right."

"That seem counter-productive, doesn't it?" Chrom asked, rubbing his chin briefly before grabbing the reigns of his horse again. "Thinking like that will get you nowhere."

"It's not a 'thinking' kinda thing, Chrom. It's a feeling," I corrected. "I just… I don't know. I just get the feeling that something's about to go wrong, somehow. Not against Walhart, but, you know, something else. Something we didn't plan for."

"I'm not sure I'm understanding you," Chrom frowned, placing a hand on my shoulder briefly. "This war has taken its toll, surely, and once it's over we'll need to leave quickly, but it'll be alright. I've spoken with Lucina, you know. The war with Valm went a lot worse for us in her timeline. We're all more tied together than we ever were in the future."

"Could all just be luck." I shrugged. "All it'd take is one thing to go wrong, and bam, we're still fucked."

Chrom shook his head. "I don't believe that, Alex. Robin's plans haven't led us astray so far; I trust him. He'll see us through this. And if something goes wrong, we'll rely on the ties that bind us together. We'll see the end of these wars, yet, Alex."

I small smirk spread across my lips. "Invisible ties, Chrom?"

"Ah." Chrom scratched his head as he chuckled. "Did you Robin tell you about those too? Should have known he would; you're his knight, after all. Still, I believe in what he said. We're not beholden to some fate, preordained by the gods themselves. We are our own people. And if there is a fate for all of us, we will change it with our own hands."

I looked down at my iron hand and let out a breath. "You're an inspiration, Chrom. A goddamn inspiration. Let's go end this war."

And that's a wrap for Chapter 60. Consider this the last light-hearted chapter, friends. We're nearing the endgame.

Also, I decided to commission a piece of Cordelia that's now the cover of this story. That's kinda what I imagined her looking like, or what she'll soon look like. Best 40 bucks I've spent.

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

See you guys next time!