Your name was Alexander Jameson Wright.

Or was it? You were so much less than what you used to be, even before you found yourself trapped, destroyed, and tormented. The molten ichor of the Fell Dragon flowed through your veins, tainting your very flesh and searing it. It was as if white-hot iron had been poured into your body, molding you into something both beyond and beneath what you used to be.

Throughout the entire ordeal, you made no sound. You struggled, but the Abomination did not have the pleasure of hearing you scream and shout. The ungodly pain was merely a punishment, after all. A way for you to atone for your horrible crimes against God and man. It wasn't enough. It was never enough.

Your body was no longer yours. Of that, you knew for certain. Even then, you could still turn your head, look around. There it stood. The Abomination. The Shadow. The Fell Dragon. So many titles for a monster. Around it was the aura, the aura of madness and pain that surrounded everything it touched. Its red eyes searched through the darkness, a broken smile upon its pale face, revealing the deadly sharp teeth beneath. It closed in on you, scanning you. Up and down. Up and down. It was as if you were a specimen in a lab. An experiment. That thought alone made you want to reach your iron hand out and wipe the disgusting smirk off the vessel's face. To crush its skull between your metal fingers, as you had done to many of its servants.

It would have done nothing, you knew, but it would have been something. A last act of defiance before you were completely subsumed.

YOU ARE STRONG. STRONGER THAN I HAD HOPED.

The words echoed in your skull, unceasingly. Whatever was left of your anger dissipated as you became confused. Where was here? Where did everyone go? Where was-?

Where was Severa? Where did she go? Was she hiding from you? Why was she hiding from you? She was strong. Stronger than even you. You made sure of that. You were proud of her, but you didn't show it, and the anger came back.

"Where is she?" You asked, your lips cracked. "Where is Severa? Where is Cordelia? Where did they go?"

The vessel looked at you, a face filled with mock-sadness as if it was actually capable of feeling anything.

YOU DO NOT REMEMBER, OLD FRIEND? THEY ARE DEAD. SLAIN BY YOUR HAND.

Impossible! There was no way! And yet-

And yet you remembered. You remembered her broken body, lying upon the ground with the remnants of spikes gutting her. Her death was not quick; there was too much blood. She was suffering as you walked the wasteland that was to be the final battleground. And yet, you ignored her. You ignored everyone in favor of revenge. You let it take you, mold you. The same could have been true for your daughter. How ironic it was that she should suffer the same fate!

The day of Chrom's death, you brought forth the dog within, the angry biting thing that you let loose to destroy those who wronged you and your loved ones. You let it loose against the vessel and his father, let it try and wrestle with them and destroy them. You thought it had won until the Fell Dragon awoke.

And in that final, blazing moment, you realized your mistake. There was no dog, there was no Fell Dragon. There was only you. Only Alexander. You failed them and you failed yourself. You pushed your daughter away, the only part of your wife left, and the only person you still truly loved, all of it, for nothing. You were a failure.

Enhanced muscles tore at the shackles that bound you, shredding the metal away as if it was made of paper. You growled like the mongrel you were, teeth bared behind your helmet. They gave way, but it was for naught. No matter what you did, you would never be free of them. The vessel stared down at you, smiling at its new creation.

ARISE.

Your name was Alexander Jameson Wright, and you failed to prevent the inevitable.

ARISE.

A scream tore through your throat and out of your mouth-

ARISE, DEADLORD VERRAT.

I woke up screaming.

Stopping myself from scratching at my arms, I shook violently. It still felt like something was flowing through my veins, like molten iron. It was fading but it was still there. My breaths left me ragged. I looked around violently as if I'd see Robin there, smirking at me.

There was nothing, though. Nothing at all.

"Alex!?" Cordelia exclaimed as she rose from the other side of the bed, looking down at me. "Alex, are you okay!?"

"I-I-!" I couldn't calm down. My chest rose and fell rapidly. I saw Cordelia's face, marred by concern. What stood out to me was that she was still alive. She'd been beside me the whole time. A far cry from what I just saw. "I can't…!"

"Alex, look at me," Cordelia commanded, placing a hand against my cheek and forcing me to stare into her eyes. She got closer, her face mere inches away from my own. Her red eyes were beautiful, like rubies. "Look at me."

My breath slowly steadied. The adrenaline left my veins. Cordelia moved over until she was on top of me, with her forehead pressing against mine.

Still shaking somewhat, I raised my arms and hugged her closer to me. Just to feel her there. Her presence, the feel of her skin against mine was enough to ground me. To make me feel like I was still there. I felt her slim arms wrap around my neck, an old feeling I never wanted to be without.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered out, a small bit of guilt rolling through my chest. "I didn't mean to wake you up. I just-!"

"Shh," Cordelia shushed me, closing her eyes as she held me. "It's going to be alright."

We stayed there for a few moments, in each other's arms. The feeling of molten iron flowing through my veins and the familiar anger in the back of my head faded away, but the memory of it was still there. I could remember each part of my nightmare. Every individual aspect. It was like a projection playing in my head every time I thought of it.

"…It wasn't a normal nightmare." I whispered, my fingers lacing through Cordelia's hair. "It couldn't have been."

She untangled herself from me. "What do you mean?"

"I-It couldn't have been," I repeated. "It was too real. T-The pain was… God, Cordy, it hurt. I could feel it! It was like I was reliving a memory. But not my own. It couldn't have been my own, it couldn't have-!" I could feel the blood drain from my face. "C-Cordy, I think I might've figured something out. Maybe. I don't know."

You've suspected, haven't you? Yes, you have. You just didn't want to think about it.

Cordelia ran a hand through my hair. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. "No… No, not now. I can't. I'm just rambling. I just- I'm sorry. Have I ever told you I love you? Because I love you, Cordelia. I love you and Severa more than anything else in the world."

Cordelia giggled, then. A melody I never grew tired of. "Yes, you have. I love you, too," Cordelia paused, her gaze becoming stern. "Your dream, did it involve us, somehow?"

I avoided her gaze.

"Alex."

"Maybe," I choked out. "Maybe a little bit."

YOU DO NOT REMEMBER, OLD FRIEND? THEY ARE DEAD. SLAIN BY YOUR HAND.

Cordelia cupped my cheeks and forced me to look at her. "Alex, please. I don't know what I can do to assure you beyond my words. You've said it yourself, right? That we'd make it out of this together, all three of us. Have faith in your words and my own. It will take more than a Conqueror or a Fell Dragon to part us."

I nodded, my lips thin. "I know, Cordy. I know."

Cordelia's arms settled around my neck again, and her lips were almost close enough to touch my own. "…Do you think you can get back to sleep?"

"I-I'm not sure." I murmured.

"Perhaps I can help with that."

She kissed me deeply.

A chilly breeze flowed through the forest on our approach to the Old Province. A harbinger of the autumn and winter that were quickly descending. The leaves were falling in golden and orange hues, catching the sun as they fell.

Somehow, it was only then that I reflected on the amount of time I spent in Valm. I'd been there long enough to see two autumns, and soon, two winters. Homesickness for Ylisse settled in my chest. It was a strange thing to feel, considering only a couple years before, the place felt completely foreign to me. I accepted it, though, and accepted it gladly. It was my home. Probably for the rest of my life. And when I looked at Cordelia and Severa, I couldn't be happier.

As my nightmare from a few nights before proved, though, there came with it negatives as well. At least my old world wasn't under threat of destruction by a giant abomination.

"Good gods, the man's looking off into the distance like he's searching for spare gold in the fabric!" Flavia groused. I blinked, looking around. "There he is! Have a fun trip? Are you ready to come back to the world of the living or do you wanna spend a little more time in your head?"

"If it'll stop you shouting, certainly," I grumbled.

"Har! How the hell have you and I not gotten to talking?" Basilio guffawed. "With words like that, I'd almost consider making you my next champion! Maybe you'd beat Marth! Er, or Lucina. Whichever the lass prefers."

"Please," Robin rubbed his forehead. "Alex, please tell me you heard what I told you."

"I heard what you told me."

"Alex!"

I waved my iron hand. "Robin, Robin, calm down. I heard what you said." I nodded my head to Chrom. "You want me to go with Chrom when we storm the castle. No command over troops, no nothing. I get it."

Robin's lips thinned. It looked like he was about to say something before Chrom intervened. "He gets it, Robin. Please, let us move on."

Robin sighed. "Just to let you know, Alex, this isn't a punishment. You're one of our top frontline fighters; we need you out there."

I nodded, a deep frown settling on my face. "I know, Robin. I've just… It's been a rough couple nights for me. Haven't gotten much sleep."

Robin grunted. "We'll talk about that later. Chrom? I have a few others who'll be accompanying you…"

I fully expected to be subjected to a lecture the moment I left the command tent. Robin pulled me aside as the others left to prepare.

"Alex, you said you were having trouble sleeping?" He asked, arms crossed.

I looked everywhere except his eyes. They reminded me too much of what I saw. "Perhaps."

"Are you really being coy with me?" Robin's brows furrowed. "If you're exhausted because of a lack of sleep, I'll need to take you off the advance team and have you sit the battle out. I don't want you risking the lives of your soldiers or yourself."

I rubbed my forehead. "It wouldn't be the first time. Don't worry, though, Robin. I'll be good to go whenever we get to the castle. Fuckin' Mt. Doom is what we should call it. No, wait, that doesn't make any sense…"

Robin tilted his head. "You truly expect me to believe that when you can barely maintain a conversation?"

"I'll have you know, I can maintain a conversation if I want to!" I protested avidly. "I just, uh, don't feel like it is all."

"Uh huh," Robin hummed, unimpressed. "If you're still having trouble standing within two days, I will take you off the forward team."

I waved my hand. "Honestly? I wouldn't blame you."

"Yes, well, good. Because I'm right," Robin asserted. "You'll be back in command once the war is over, Alex. You just need a little more time to go over what happened, and to make sure it doesn't again."

I let out a humorless laugh. "You know what this reminds me of? The final battle of the last war. Two massive forces clashing on the approach of a castle. Only Walhart's castle isn't ruined." I raised my iron hand. "Let's hope I don't lose my left hand this time, eh?"

Robin cringed. "Yes, that would be unpleasant, least of all what Cordelia would do to both of us should such an injury befall you again. In any case, I suppose I can see your point. It's certainly nice that this war will end soon, although I have a feeling this will just be the beginning of a much shorter but bloodier conflict."

My eyes narrowed. "Grima."

"He's intervened several times thus far. I do not expect him to sit idly by as the two biggest armies on the continent clash." Robin looked to his right, as if he expected to see someone there. "Look among their ranks when you fight them. Single out those who look sickly. I've noticed a trend with those infected with… whatever it is Grima infects people with to turn them into a Risen after they have died."

"You think Walhart'd throw his hat in with Grima?" I asked, brow raised.

"Honestly? I doubt it," Robin answered. "But I do not want to be surprised should such a situation come to pass. The moment you see what I've described, report to Chrom and retreat."

I nodded. "Gotcha. The battle'll be difficult enough just fighting regular folks."

Robin shook his head. "He has the entirety of what remains of his army at his castle. Had he been trying to keep us at bay for a time, he wouldn't have abandoned Fort Steiger. This will be the final battle of the Valmese Campaign, thank the gods, and it's not even the end of the greater war here. We had a taste of it in Rosanne… be prepared for what is to come, Alex. These next few months will likely be the last bit of peace we'll be able to enjoy for some time."

I looked at the ground, my eyes searching for nothing. "Don't worry, Robin. I get it. It's… My baby girl's probably gonna be born around that time."

"Er, speaking of, Alex?" Robin asked, suddenly looking very nervous. "I have a favor to ask you."

"Oh yeah? Go ahead."

"We haven't spoken of my… my own child. Morgan." Robin said.

The realization that we'd completely forgotten to ask Lucina and the others about Morgan hit me like a rampaging horse. "Robin. Robin, we're idiots."

Robin nodded solemnly.

"We are fucking clowns."

The tactician looked as if he was about to collapse.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Alright. Alright, alright, you wanna go ask them now? Like, right now? We can do that."

"That's where my favor comes in, actually," Robin looked up at me, embarrassedly. "Could you please ask her for me? Or any of the children, I suppose. Just, uh, ask them. In my place."

"Why?" I asked. "You're afraid you're not gonna like the answer, aren't you."

"So far, she is the only future child that has not shown up," Robin frowned. "I… Had you not told me of the possibility of her existence, I wouldn't even think of it. But now, now I feel myself feeling… well, as you said, scared. If I had this child with Tiki of all people, she would be frighteningly powerful. And if she were to be on Grima's side, somehow…"

I felt a chill go up my spine at the thought of it. And Robin wasn't wrong to worry. Foggily, I remembered a certain map where Morgan was an enemy. It was a distant thing, something I didn't even want to think about, really, but the possibility was there.

I placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Don't worry, man. I got you. I'll go ask. I'm sure it'll be fine."

Robin let out a breath, but it wasn't one of relief. "Thank you, my friend."

Finding Lucina was simple enough. Since we'd left the strange villages and culture of Chon'sin behind, she tended to stay in one place. Last time I saw her, she even looked healthier. Perhaps forgoing the long 'hunting' trips was doing her some good. Either way, after a little asking around, I was directed to a small area of the camp. A nook, really, just beyond where we kept the Pegasi.

I was not prepared for what I saw.

I marched through the undergrowth towards where she supposedly was, only to find her in a small clearing, and she was not alone. Severa stood in front of her, and she-

Hmm...

It wasn't all too intimate, but I knew what I saw. Lucina held her hand out, and Severa grabbed it, perhaps a bit harshly. A smile spread across both their faces, one's I hadn't seen before.

Turning my head away for a moment, I gave the two some much-needed privacy. Let it never have been said that I was going to be one of those dads. I still had to ask about Morgan for Robin's sake, so after a few minutes, I charged in bluntly.

"Hey, you two," I called out, causing Lucina to turn in my direction at such speed that it looked like she gave herself whiplash. Severa on the other hand must've jumped fifteen feet into the air. "Wasn't interrupting anything, was I? What were you two doing?"

"D-Dad!?" Severa exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing here!?"

"Looking for Lucina," I answered easily, looking to the blue-haired future princess. She stared back at me. "Though it looks like she wasn't alone, huh? I guess you two were training, away from everyone else, right?"

"…Yes," Lucina replied quietly. "In a way, perhaps. It has been a long time since we had even spoken, let alone sparred, and I felt myself growing restless. We hadn't had the chance to speak much since we reconvened, and I thought it high time I changed that."

"Yeah. Girl talk. Stuff you wouldn't be interested in, dad."

I waved my iron hand. "Don't worry about it, guys. I won't pry. I actually just wanted to ask you something. And since you're here too, Sev, I guess the question extends to you as well."

"What is it?" Lucina asked.

"I'll only answer if I feel like it." Severa's lips thinned and she crossed her arms.

"Well, you all know that I knew that there were future children. I didn't know but I hoped, and let's just say I was very relieved to see you jump through that giant eye portal a couple years back."

Lucina rose a brow. "Giant eye portal? You mean the time portal?"

I shook my head. "Looked like a giant fuck-off eye, but that's beside the point. So far, all the kids I thought exist, do exist. Except for one. I want you to tell me, does Morgan exist?"

Lucina's face went blank. Severa frowned.

"Gawd. Of course, he'd ask that. You're Robin's knight. Christ!" Severa swore. "Well, go ahead. Tell him, Lucy."

Lucina looked down. "Are you sure you wish to know of her?"

"Robin would, certainly," I replied, suddenly suspicious. "She's his daughter after all, and considering, uh… well, let's just say I have it on good authority that his other half is Tiki. Just a hunch."

Severa scoffed. "Ya know, sometimes I can actually feel the tension between those two."

I shrugged. "Your mother and I weren't so different. Until we got married. Then it wasn't tension anymore."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Lucina sighed. "Very well, Sir Alex. I wonder why it took so long for this to be brought up, but I suppose it was inevitable." She looked up. "Morgan is a half-manakete, as you suspected. The daughter of Grandmaster Robin and the Voice of Naga, although that was only known to a select few. She served as our tactician along with Laurent."

I nodded. "So, she does exist."

"I wasn't finished." Lucina's eyes narrowed. "When it was clear that Ylisstol was lost, what remained of the Ylissean forces besides you made their final stand as we escaped. Morgan decided to stay behind at the last minute."

My eyes widened. "Does that mean she's-?"

Lucina was decent at hiding her feelings, but I could see the turmoil just beneath her pale skin; the furrowed brow, the thinned lips, the avoidance of eye contact, all of it. "I don't know what happened to her. She could be dead, or she could have been made into a puppet by Grima. Either way, I doubt she will be with us."

ARISE.

I suddenly felt very nauseous. Holding my stomach, I grunted out. "…Robin won't like to hear that."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't bring better news," Lucina said sadly. "I didn't want to speak to him of it; I didn't want to hurt him. I am not overly fond of Robin, but I realize he only has our best interests at heart, despite his methods. We need him at his best, and he shouldn't be weighed down by the death of a daughter he never met."

"I kinda fucked that up for you, didn't I?" I chuckled humorlessly. "Well, wouldn't be the first time. Uh, thank you, Lucina. It's nice to have that cleared up after so long."

"Will you tell him?" She asked, stepping forward. "If you do, I… I would want to be there with you. I know why he sent you here in his stead; he's scared, isn't he? Scared of what I might say."

I nodded, looking over to the trees to the right. They were very interesting, after all. "That's another fuck up on my part. He'll keep pressing until he gets an answer from me. I'd rather wait until after this next battle. You know, keep him focused on this."

"Could you not simply tell him to wait until then?" Lucina supplied.

Severa frowned. "Yeah, and let him come up on his own with whatever the fuck Grima did to that girl," She sighed. "Look, we don't know what happened to her, but I don't think that scaly bastard would let Tiki's daughter get away with a slap on the wrist."

"Yeah, Sev, I know." I adjusted the fingers on my iron hand. "I just… Goddamnit. I'll find a way, and I'll let you know when to tell him. Even if he never met her, she's still his daughter. That definitely counts for something."

Lucina nodded. "As you wish, Sir Alex."

I took a deep breath, turning around. "I gotta prepare some more for the assault. Don't stay out here 'training' for too long, you two."

As I walked away, I could hear them whispering among themselves. I smiled to myself, despite the news that'd just been dumped on me.

Severa has a life beyond us, and I couldn't be happier.

Valm Castle sat there, carved into the dark rock of the mountain like a fortress of doom. To its right was the capital of Valm, Rudol. It was a large city, but completely irrelevant to the battle that was to happen. Valm Castle was separated from it, after all, and Robin anticipated reinforcements from the city. Still, we didn't want to risk civilian casualties, and so it was ignored in favor of the dark structure beyond.

The history of the castle was sparse at best, according to Robin. Nothing indicated that it was incredibly old except for the archaic stonework that surrounded it, as if there'd been a castle there once before, long lost to the march of time.

Luckily, I was able to get that information from Robin as I was distracting him from what I learned. He wasn't stupid; the minute I told him I'd wait until after the coming battle to tell him about Morgan, he must've known something was wrong. His shoulders sagged, but he kept moving forward.

He was stronger than me if he could take the implication well.

Nonetheless, our goal was clear. Our path, certain. Valm Castle was to be the final battle of the war. Finally. It would be but a prelude to the greater war that laid in our homeland, but at least we wouldn't be fighting conscripts anymore. People. Except for the Grimleal, but they didn't count. Risen were always easy to kill. Not physically, no; their bodies could withstand much more than your average human could, but spiritually? Mentally? Absolutely. There was no justification, no wrongdoing. When you killed a Risen, you were only destroying the decaying husk of a person long gone. Their soul left the minute their bodies turned purple, leaving behind the monsters that deserved no pity, and no mercy.

But that was all far away, relatively speaking. At that moment, I was focused only at the battle at hand.

Severa was going to be with the Pegasus Knights, along with Phila, Cynthia, and Sumia. There was a different company for the Chevaliers of Rosanne, who were going to be led by Cherche and Gerome. As I was ordered, I'd be in the front, alongside Chrom, Priam, Lucina, Robin, Say'ri, Yen'fay and the Khans. It was only appropriate that the former Chon'sinian ruler would be in the team tasked with spearheading our assault.

It felt just like old times.

On the morning of the assault, I went to where we kept the Pegasi. All the Pegasus Knights were getting themselves ready, including Severa. I thought it'd be nice to go and wish her luck before we went out.

Severa was preparing Aurora for battle; the armored helmet and cloth were draped upon the Pegasus' usually white coat.

"Hey, Sev," I called out, standing behind her.

"You're lucky I'm used to you sneaking up on people, dad," Severa turned around, hands on her hips. "If I wasn't I'd've knocked your goddamn block off."

I chuckled, looking down at her. "And I'd probably thank you for it! Anyway, just wanted to wish you luck. This'll be your first real battle up in the air, after all."

Severa snorted. "You should've seen me when we fought at Kamui. No one touched me, but I made sure they were hurting. Heh." A cocky smirk spread across her lips. "Don't worry about me; I'll be fine."

"Maybe so, but you have it all the same." I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Good luck, sweetheart. I'm proud of you."

Severa blinked before her gaze suddenly found itself pointed straight toward the ground. "T-Thanks, I guess."

I nodded, turning around.

"You're not gonna talk to mom?" Severa asked suddenly.

Turning back around with a brow raised, I said: "What? She's here?"

"Yeah, went to go say goodbye to Sumia or some crap. Thought you'd wanna know, in case you didn't say anything to her before now." Severa explained, still averting her eyes from me.

I smiled. "Huh. Well, thanks. Guess you aren't all sass and embarrassment. Turns out, there's a thoughtful person in there, somewhere."

"Oh, please. How can you even live with yourself when you say crap like that?" Severa groused, going back to Aurora. "Now, are you gonna leave me alone or are you just gonna stand there and talk some more."

"Thatta girl!" I chuckled, walking off.

True to Severa's word, I found Sumia and Cordelia not far off. I hadn't had the chance to speak with Sumia often, but when I saw her last, she wore the usual Pegasus Knight uniform, if perhaps a bit more extravagant. That completely changed. When I saw her then, she wore intricately crafted armor, seemingly made of silver and gold. Her undersuit was the usual brown and white, but the plating looked fit for the queen of a nation. Cordelia, by comparison, was wearing plain white robes. Mostly to cover her pregnancy.

And that wasn't even getting into the weapon on Sumia's back. It was the color of the moon and looked sharper than any lance I'd ever seen.

Luna.

Sumia and Cordelia were talking, obviously. So I decided to stand back for a moment and let them finish. Eventually, however, I was spotted. Sumia saw me skulking around, smiled, and beckoned me forward.

Cordelia looked confused for a moment before she saw me. "Oh, Alex. What're you doing here?"

I shrugged. "Wanted to wish Sev luck, then she told me you were here. Thought I might kill two birds with one stone. Uh, Sumia," I greeted, bowing my head slightly. "Nice armor."

"Oh, he noticed," Sumia nearly squealed, twirling. "It's gorgeous, isn't it? Chrom had it made for me while we were at Kamui. Gods, I'm lucky to have him! I feel like I could take on the entire world in this!"

"I wouldn't recommend that, Sumia," Cordelia sighed. "Much as it's pretty to look at, it's still just an ordinary Pegasus Knight harness. It has its weaknesses."

"Mmm," Sumia hummed. "We should get you your own armor, Cordelia. I mean, once you fully recover. I bet you'd make Alex's jaw drop!"

"She already does that without armor on," I supplied, deadpan.

Cordelia looked at me, shocked, with a healthy blush on her face. "D-Did you really just say that? Gods!"

Sumia smiled fondly at us. "You two… It's almost like you're made for each other. You haven't changed since the day you confessed to each other, have you?"

I chuckled. "I'd like to think we've matured a bit since then."

"Oh, of course! I wasn't saying you two were, like, two teenagers stumbling around. Er, not like me, anyway," Sumia corrected herself. "I was more meaning how you two just seem so… happy together, you know? Even through this war, through all the pain and bloodshed, you guys seem as happy as ever."

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. Not that Sumia was wrong, it was just that we had a pretty big argument just a couple weeks before. Then again, I supposed most couples would have more arguments than we did. Beyond the little hiccup at Kamui, we were just as she said we were.

Looking at Cordelia's swollen belly, I couldn't help but smile despite myself.

"Give it a few more years, and I bet I'll see a lot of red-headed children running around, hmm?" Sumia giggled.

"I am surrounded by tricksters and charlatans…" Cordelia rubbed her forehead. "It's a wonder you two do not talk more often. In any case, love, I…" Cordelia trailed off before shaking her head. "Nevermind. Just be careful out there, alright?"

I barked a laugh. "Don't worry about me; we've got some of our best fighters at the front. And I… well, I won't lose myself like I did last time, Cordy. You have my word."

She stood in front of me, her red eyes boring into my own. "I trust you, Alex. I know you won't. Just…" She placed a hand against her stomach. "Just be careful. For me, please."

I snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. "I'll do everything in my power to survive this battle, Cordy. I'll come back to you. I promise."

Cordelia nodded, her lips trembling. "I know. I love you."

I leaned down. "I love you, too."

Our lips met. A chaste kiss; just enough to affirm each other.

"Gods…!" Sumia squealed, trying her best to cover her mouth. "You two are too cute! It's like you're married already!"

We parted, and I smiled. "Heh. Sometimes I forget we're not. Not yet."

"I suppose that's one of the things we'll need to fix when we go home, hmm?" Cordelia said, trailing a hand down my breastplate. "Well, you should get going, shouldn't you? The Pegasus Knights will be mobilizing in a few minutes; I imagine you'll need to be at the front before too long."

I frowned, nodding. "Yeah, probably. I'll see you all when the battle ends."

A sinking feeling descended in my gut. Something was wrong. I knew that ever since the nightmare I had days before then. I couldn't tell exactly what, but it was there. Hiding in the shadows like a predator. A hunter. When I left Sumia and Cordelia, a part of me wondered if my suspicions were true.

If they were, then the battle would be one that would echo in my mind for the rest of my life.

Dark clouds rolled in from the south, casting a shadow on what was to be the last battlefield in the Valmese War. I stood by Chrom, Sol strapped to my hip, and a mace in hand. To his other side was Robin, Fulmen in one hand and Thoron in the other. A living conductor of dark electricity.

The other's stood by: Say'ri and Priam were side by side, the Chon'sinian warrior princess wielding Amatsu, the branched blade of her ancestors, and Priam ready to swing Ragnell at a moment's notice. Yen'fay stood alone, apart from the group. He hadn't said so much as a word to anyone since he joined up, and instead of Amatsu he had an ordinary silversteel sword. Lucina held Parallel Falchion, her stance reluctant, but ready. The Khans were poised to strike, ready to bring the full might of their Feroxi heritage onto Walhart and his army.

And what an army it was. As the clouds rolled in, the Conqueror's army mobilized. Thousands of troops stood in front of us, defending the castle instead of holding out within. It was just as Robin suspected; Walhart was intending for this to be his last stand. If he broke through our lines, then the war was either over or prolonged. If we sent him back into his castle with his tail between his legs, then the true final stand would begin.

"Tiki is on stand-by, Robin?" Chrom asked finally, just as the first drop of rain descended.

Robin nodded. "She is. On my signal, she will begin."

I shifted from one leg to the other. I would not be riding on Pippin for the battle; it was likely we'd storm the castle, and horses didn't do much in such tight quarters.

Chrom looked down, hand on Falchion's hilt. "Then let this mark the day the Valmese Empire falls. Today, we bring an end to Walhart the Conqueror and his brutal regime," Chrom unsheathed Falchion, and the blade shined with a blue flame that was nearly blinding. "Raise the banners! Today, we end this war!"

I felt my blood pumping through my veins as he spoke. He was inspiring, I would give him that. On the opposite side of the field, even through the droplets of rain and darkness, an equally bright light came forth. A red light, shining off the armor of the man we'd been fighting for well over a year.

Walhart.

Horns blew, a drone that spread over the field and drowning out the sounds of distant thunder. Pegasi and Wyverns took to the air, beasts with gnashing teeth and flying hooves roared through the sky. The maelstrom of sound almost drowned out Chrom's next order.

"Charge!" He shouted, pointing Falchion forward.

When faced with such a demand, all I could do was follow. I shouted in turn, feeling the adrenaline in my veins pumping as I followed those next to me, brothers and sister-in-arms. What had once been tiny droplets of rain quickly turned into a downpour, as if the world itself was crying. I ignored the wetness and the mud, only charging forward with all the strength my body granted me.

Fireballs and lightning flew through the sky, crashing through our ranks and theirs. Men fell before they even met each other, years of training wasted in a single hand stroke of a mage. A fireball crashed into Valm Castle, sending ruined and melted stone to the ground surrounding it. A flash of thunder and several of our soldiers fell to the ground in heaps of blackened flesh and dented iron.

At last, our forces clashed just in the middle.

I swung my mace forward, conking a poor bastard across the head. His helmet caved with the force, and he fell to the ground. Metal against metal screeched through the air and the smell of fresh blood reached my nose. With each swipe of my mace, I was bludgeoning muscle and cracking bone and rending armor. Magic was in full force; fire, wind, and lightning flowed through the dark sky like the fury of gods. I knew which one was Robin's the moment I saw it. He was just next time, Fulmen and Thoron in either hand and with a single strike of the dark magic sword, purple lightning flowed from the blade, electrocuting a Valmese soldier and nearly disintegrating him. One soldier got too close for comfort, and Robin buried Fulmen into his stomach. The tactician kicked the soldier off before charging Thoron.

Made me wonder who, exactly, was guarding who. I stayed by him regardless, hoping he wouldn't accidentally stab me with the fucking thing.

Lucina nearly bisected someone as she ducked below a flurry of blades. It had been a long time since I'd seen her fight last, and I'd forgotten just how much her and Chrom's forms complemented each other. Just as she was finished with one, Chrom would come in and take out another, slowly carving a path through the Valmese towards Walhart.

A blast of lightning shot into the air, notifying everyone to Robin's presence.

The signal.

Staying near Robin, we quickly descended into a pattern; whatever enemies attempted to get near him, I'd beat to death with my mace, while he blitzed through their ranks with lightning, with whoever made it through to him quickly falling to Fulmen. The enemy was extremely varied, considering what we'd faced throughout the war up until then. Monks wielding axes, mounted sages, all the works.

Wind and rain battered against my armor as the crunch of a man's shoulder being destroyed rang through my ears. A piercing scream flew from his mouth as I batted him across the face, sending him to the ground, limp.

"Where's Tiki!?" I shouted hoarsely, using my shield to block a sword-blow. "It's getting hairy out here!"

"She should be…! There!" Robin quickly pointed to the dark sky as I heard the beating of large, feathered wings upon the wind.

A roar followed soon after, quelling the sounds of battle as an ethereal glow emanated from the clouds. Moments later, incandescent flame spilled forth and fell upon the Valmese army. Men and women were melted within seconds, like wax from a candle. I saw her, then. The divine dragon outlined against a black sky, the sound of her breathing fire drowning the thunder as another gout of flames surged from her gaping maw and onto the poor Valmese below.

"Your girlfriend is scary!" I shouted, cracking a soldier's helmet like a walnut and sending his limp body to the ground. "Fucking, scary!"

"I know!" Robin replied loudly. "Keep pushing forward! Force them into their castle!"

"They look like they're comfortable out here-!" I stopped and snarled as a near-miss knocked my helmet off, and my head was soaked within an instant. "Wanna play that game, huh!? C'mere, ya little punk!"

I grabbed the offending soldier by his breastplate. He yelped as he slammed into my shield and fell to the ground. Towering over him, I lifted my mace up and slammed it on his face, and I heard the crunch of bone and spray of blood against my face as his skull caved in. Blinking, I wiped at my forehead and felt the rain fall from my hair.

I stepped back as a blade narrowly missed my face. Looking in the direction of the attack, I saw a face I never thought I'd see again.

"I never thought I'd get the chance to pay you Ylisseans back!" The man with the goatee snarled, hefting his sword over his shoulder and slamming it against my shield. "Prepare to die, scum!"

Dalton.

The man we'd duped back at Port Ferox. The man who burned the entire port down in retaliation. I expected to feel righteous anger against him. I saw an entire family turned to charcoal in the flames no doubt ordered by him. Instead, I felt strangely calm. Well, as calm as I could when in the middle of a giant battle. The adrenaline pumped through my veins, but I didn't let anger consume me. Not then. He was better than a normal soldier, of that I was certain.

"Commander Dalton," I intoned, blocking another blow from his sword. "It's me, sir. Don't you remember? It's Caius! The man who let the Ylisseans straight into Port Ferox! How's life been treating you, Commander!?"

"Y-You!" Dalton roared, charging forward with all the strength his body granted him. "You and that little whore! You let in the Ylisseans! The minute I returned from that cesspit you call a continent, Walhart had me stripped of rank, sent into the gormless legions with naught but the armor on my back! If it hadn't been for you, I could've-!"

"I have no pity for a man who burned hundreds of innocents because he lost, commander!" I snarled back, pushing him back.

"What're you going to do, Caius!?" Dalton sneered. "Are you going to avenge them? Avenge your precious barbarian-folk!?"

"No," I replied. "I'm gonna keep you from doing it again!" I swung my mace downward.

Dalton missed it by just an inch, and the mace slammed against the sloshing dirt. Dalton kicked my hand, and I growled as my mace fell from my grasp. I rolled over, ignoring the feeling of water dripping into my armor and gambeson. With only a shield on me, Dalton smiled toothily, murderously.

That grin was wiped off his smug face when I slammed my shield into his face and sent him reeling. Snarling like an animal, with blood trailing down his cheek and nose, he lunged forward with his sword pointed forward, trying to skewer me.

Even if his blade had met its target, my armor would've protected me. Dalton was consumed by rage; he wasn't thinking clearly. I opened my arm to the side, and his sword and hands passed through. I shut my arm, keeping his hands pinned in place as I bashed his face again with my shield. Blood and teeth flew from his mouth as he fell to the ground. I grabbed his sword that he had lost grasp of and stood over him.

"See you in hell, commander!" I shouted, stabbing him through the throat. His eyes bulged out of their sockets as warm blood pooled out of his throat and onto the ground. I took a step back.

Dalton stopped moving a moment later, his bug-eyed face staring up at the sunless sky. I shook my head and moved away from his corpse, unsheathing Sol. I rejoined the fray.

The battle continued like that for a while. We were steadily gaining ground against the Valmese, and surprisingly, no reinforcements showed up from the neighboring capital. There was something in the air, though. Something I couldn't quite place. A noise drowned out by the battle, an oily blackness hidden beneath the blood that soaked the ground, like an otherworldly sea monster hiding beneath red waves.

There wasn't any time to ponder that, though, not when my life and the lives of others were at stake. Sol did a good job of restoring my stamina and healing whatever injuries I sustained in the battle of Dalton or otherwise. I fell in line with Robin again, slashing an axe-wielding Valmese across the throat when he got too close for comfort.

"What's the plan now!?" I shouted, feeling like my right arm was about to break under the force of the blows I was taking. "If we keep fighting out here like this, we're gonna get swarmed!"

"She should be…!" Robin began before looking to the sky and smirking. "There she is!"

Tiki's wingbeats echoed in my ears as she slammed into the ground just in front of us. The Valmese that surrounded her either ran or bravely attempted to fight her, in which case they were easily swatted away by her wings and tail. Billowing light gathered in her mouth, and within the next moment, shot forward like an arrow. It tore through the ranks of the Valmese and straight towards the castle. The doors inside buckled and cracked underneath the pressure. The castle had been broken, and Walhart was nowhere to be seen.

The clouds didn't part. Thunder rang through the charged air and thunder struck the ground. The rain continued to batter us. Even through that, our path was clear. The way forward had been illuminated by holy fire. The Valmese were broken, routed, and only those closest to Walhart dared to stay behind and retreat into the castle.

"If you see anyone retreating away from the castle, leave them!" Chrom ordered, hefting Falchion, and staring down at the hole within the castle. "Lucina, you're with me. Everyone else, too. It's time to put an end to Walhart!"

The bodies of the Valmese, Ylisseans, Feroxi, Rosanneans, and Chon'sinians littered the ground, and yet I felt my heart swell. Pegasus Knights and Wyvern Riders landed, bloodied but alive. I made out Severa's red hair in the gloom. She was alright. Fine. That was good enough for me.

I gladly followed Chrom and Robin into the depths of Valm Castle.

Melted stone and scorched wood paved our path, leading directly to the throne hall. A slight singed, purple carpet greeted us, along with whatever remained of the Valmese army. At the top of the hall, a chandelier hung precariously.

I saw him, then. Walhart. He stood at the head of his own personal formation, clad in bright red plate armor and wielding the largest axe I'd ever seen. He was tall, taller than any man I'd seen up to that point. It was like looking at a statue, almost, something carved out of rock rather than born. Long white hair flowed behind him, bringing to mind sculptures I'd long forgotten the names of.

"Here you now stand, Prince Chrom of Ylisse," Walhart intoned. "Had I the foresight necessary, you would never have stepped foot in my hall except in chains. The worm Excellus is surely at fault for this; had I never foolishly allowed him to play at being my tactician, you and your friends would be bowing your heads in my presence."

"Never!" Chrom snarled, just as a burst of lightning flashed across the windows around us. Somewhere nearby, I heard what almost sounded like an explosion. "I don't care what excuses you dredge up to try and rationalize your downfall! Countless innocents have suffered under your heel! A port lies burnt to the ground because of your failures! I won't allow you to take another life, Walhart!"

"That's what I like to hear, boy!" A vicious smile drew across Walhart's face. "Be not an agent of justice, but justice itself! Grima's minions walk the earth and his foul presence stains the air, but before you, you see a more tangible enemy! A conqueror does not ask; he takes! This war was never to be won with words and shrill voices, but only by those who believe in their hearts that they are right and are prepared to die for it! Come then, boy, let us put an end to this war, right here! My comrades, my soldiers! Crash your might against these Ylisseans! Bleed them dry! Tonight, the long conquest ends!"

A resounding cry from Walhart's soldiers assured me that the battle wasn't going to be an easy one. Nonetheless, I followed my friends back into the fight.

Unlike the dirty and bloody surroundings of the outside, we had only the dimly lit throne room with the sound of wind and rain beating against the stonework outside to keep us company. I slashed Sol through as many Valmese as I could, making sure I struck true. There was little room for error what with all the soldiers inside. I kept close to Robin, making sure he was alright. I didn't want him to find a blade suddenly lodged through his chest, after all.

Another explosion. Or something that sounded like an explosion. It rang through the halls, echoing across the stone as a deep growl trailed behind it.

…No, it couldn't be…

"Robin!" I called, getting the tactician's attention. "Did you hear that!?"

"Hear what-?"

We didn't have time to talk before the Valmese slammed against us again. I snarled as I pushed them back, stabbing one below his breastplate and shoving him off. I saw Chrom and Walhart clash against each other, axe against sword, and sending sparks along the ground. It was like watching two demigods fight for dominance.

One last explosion rang out, this time straight through the throne hall as the fighting stopped. A wall burst open, sending chunks of stone and dust everywhere. One slammed against the helmet of a Valmese soldier, and he fell to the ground, out cold. A massive hole had been bored through the stonework, and only darkness sat within. A piercing scream emanated from the breach, just as some poor bastard tried to run from it.

"H-Help! M-Monsters inside the-!" Before he could be completely cleared of the black, he was grabbed by his arm. "N-No! P-Please-!" He was dragged back in, and all I heard was the sound of crunching bone and tearing muscle as the man's gurgles reached my ears. A sound akin to a waterfall was all that came from the breach after that.

The man's body was sent in two halves straight through the hole. Thrown, really. One half crashed into the chandelier and sent broken glass to the floor below, while another half struck one of our own soldier's in the chest.

I gulped as armored footsteps marched towards us. Glowing red eyes glared at us as an old friend made his presence known.

"End of the line."

I really need to stop ending Chapters on cliffhangers. To be fair, if I didn't do that this time, this Chapter would've ended up being, like, over 10k words, and I'm not about that life. In any case, hope you enjoyed what was there.

Wonderful bit of trivia for that dream sequence: I actually wrote up a version of that all the way back in October of last year. Only thing I reused from that old scene is a couple of lines and the narrative style. Just a fun fact for you.

Anyways, here's a link to our Discord: discord .gg/9XG3U7a

Hope you guys have a wonderful rest of your day!