This is a nightmare.
That was the lone thought that shot through my mind as the red eyes of Verrat bore into us. I felt dizzy, nauseous, everything I shouldn't have been feeling with Sol still in my grasp. There was something about the Deadlord, something I refused to acknowledge but had been sitting there at the back of my mind. The sword he wielded, the screaming and howling, all of it, it got to me.
"Lord Grima promises eternity," A sick, oily voice spoke, trailing behind Verrat. A familiar form hovered beside him, red eyes staring beneath a dark hood. I could almost see the toothy grin within the darkness. "But your fates hold no such promise. On this day, the Exalted bloodline and the Conqueror of Valm shall die, writhing in agony, spitting and biting against a fate they cannot change."
"Grima-spawn. Perfect," Walhart snarled, Wolf Berg in hand. "If you think I shall fall this day, then you are sorely mistaken. My quarrel is with the Prince, not you. Not today."
"Your words are as empty as your future, puppet," Fauder laughed, his tome at the ready. "You were doomed for failure the moment the Ylisseans made landfall. Excellus, unsuitable vessel as he was, did wonders to your infrastructure. And just as the last vestiges of the Valmese Empire burn to ashes, so do the roots of the Ylisseans who fought you."
"What in the seven hells are you talking about!?" Chrom shouted, Falchion glowing with an ethereal blue light. I could see a horrific, angry light in his eyes. "Speak before I send you back to your master in pieces!"
"Such anger, Prince!" Fauder chided, waving his long finger at Chrom. "You are not in any position to be making demands of me. We have you surrounded by Grima's glorious servants! The moment we are done speaking, you will be beset upon on all sides. There will be no escape. The only reason why you still live is by my will – by Lord Grima's will!"
I could see Chrom bite back another curse. I for one, wasn't paying much attention; Verrat's crimson gaze fell upon me, and I could feel the sheer hate emanating from him.
"Ylisstol has fallen," Verrat spoke in his raspy, deep voice. At least he had the decency to be direct. "Grima took it upon himself to marshal his power within Plegia, before striking while your backs were turned. Grawin has been utterly destroyed, and now the Fell Dragon sits upon your throne, overlooking your city. There are pockets of resistance, but your kingdom has fallen, Prince. Your daughter lies in his possession, unharmed for the moment, but not for long."
"Dastards!" Chrom exclaimed, Falchion seeming as if it was craving black blood. "I'll kill you all!"
"N-No…" I heard Lucina croak. Her stance faltered beside Chrom, her legs shaking. "I-It's not possible! He shouldn't be…! Gods…!"
"Hold one more moment, Prince, lest you bring death upon you and yours before its time!" Fauder held his hand up, purple magic swirling along his fingers like dark serpents. "You may save your daughter, Prince. Lord Grima is not without mercy. Simply return his Vessel to him, and you shall die together, as was ordained."
"I have no idea what you're even talking about!" Chrom growled, rage etched into his words. "What 'Vessel'? What does any of this have to do with-!?"
"You truly have no idea, do you? The true nature of your companions…" Fauder laughed, which echoed through the dark, broken throne room. "The man you have entrusted with such a position of power, the tactical mind you have relied on for years, he is the Fell Dragon's Vessel. The one who will herald the ending of this desolate, decaying world, and usher in a new era! He is of Fell blood, as all of my line are! All this time, the enemy you promised to destroy is right beside you!"
Silence reigned. I could feel rampant animosity, aimed directly at me. I looked to see Lucina glaring at me, her heterochromatic eyes filled with anger. Her face set with a deep frown, nearing a sneer. Chrom looked to Robin, who'd been standing between us. His face was paler than I'd ever seen it, his arms at his sides. His red eyes were wide.
That changed within an instant as he roared and swung Fulmen forward, sending a cascade of dark lightning straight towards Fauder. The Deadlord sorcerer cackled, responding in kind with a wave of magic of his own.
The entire castle shook as the moans of the dead reached my ears. I looked around wildly as the walls around us began to crumble and Risen rose from the rubble like zombies. Their piercing red eyes focused on those still left alive.
Another surge of purple lightning came from Robin as he dueled with his undead father. Verrat got in the way of this one, using his right hand to block the blast. Unlike last time, however, the lightning surged through him, and a shout of pain let loose from his helmet. He knelt for just a second before getting back up again.
"I retract my offer, Prince," Fauder said, sinisterly. "You are not worthy of Lord Grima's mercy. We shall take the Vessel by force and leave you all bleeding within this wreck. There shall be none who can stop the coming age. It's time to die!"
The Risen that surrounded us ran upon broken limbs and frayed muscles, and yet they seemed more powerful than before. More able. Less like the rotting purple husks who could barely swing a sword before. Within a moment, they were upon us like a massive tidal wave of decaying flesh and black blood. I watched as several soldiers, Valmese and Ylissean alike, were torn to pieces within seconds. Memories of the draconians of Khadein breaking apart and eating men alive conjured themselves in my mind. I swung wildly at the first Risen to face me, shouting incoherently as all sense of calmness left me.
I slashed and stabbed and struck, but the corpse did not go down.
The Risen roared, a black mist trailing from its mouth. It swung its axe at me, again and again. It was a rusty thing, but with the amount of force behind it, it didn't matter. It struck with the force of a cavalry charge, and each time I felt my shield begin to give way. Dents formed in the polished steel, and soon enough, the remains of it were batted out of my hand. I was left almost completely defenseless save for Sol.
I forgot any shred of composure I still maintained and snarled like a dog as I rushed the purple monster. Grabbing it by its rotting breastplate, I pulled it towards me and slammed my iron fist straight into its jaw. Its mandible broke in two, and fell to the floor, leaving the Risen's face a jawless mess. I didn't wait for long; while the Risen was reeling from the blow, I took Sol and swung upward. My sword cut through the rotting flesh of the Risen's neck, separating its head from its body. The corpse fell to the ground and disintegrated a moment later.
It took much more to kill a single Risen than it had to kill dozens of them months before. Even when Deadlord Fauder was around, the Risen only really posed a threat to green recruits, not hardened soldiers, and yet there they were, tearing men apart with their bare hands and cutting straight through plate armor with nothing but the rusted weapons they took with them. It was madness. Terrifying, even.
Chrom and Lucina were fighting off Verrat. The Deadlord's silver blade almost seemed to glow in the darkness, cutting through it like a knife through warm butter. The two Falchion's however, glowed brighter with an ethereal blue flame, constantly forcing the Deadlord to be on the defensive. We'd all come a long way since we fought him back on Carrion Isle, and it showed; they were even getting a few strikes against him. They didn't cut through his armor, but they were starting to break apart. It was only then that I noticed how fragile it looked. It was as if the Deadlord hadn't had it repaired or replaced since the day he'd been created. Even his helmet looked like it could've fallen apart at any moment.
Robin dueled with Fauder. Son against father. Purple lightning met dark magic in frightening, brilliant clashes. The shockwaves from it made my teeth hurt. Robin had dark magic practically swirling around him, making him look more like the Hierophant than himself. I was worried, but I couldn't exactly do much about it what with the Risen constantly assaulting me. And since I no longer had a shield, I was left to fend for myself. Everyone else was fighting their own battles.
The world shook again, this time from above. It was like an earthquake. Bits of stone fell from the ceiling as the violent shaking grew worse.
The wall behind Walhart's throne burst open, and out from it came the massive form of a dragon. Tiki had come. Her pure white wings spread as she landed right in the middle of the battle. Her eyes searched everywhere, eventually landing on Fauder.
"I didn't make myself very clear last time we fought, I suppose," Tiki's flanged voice echoed in my eardrums. Robin watched on in awe, his dark magic dissipating. "I can sense your master, and he is far from here. You are alone, relying on the gifts he bestowed onto you. They will not help you. Not from me. I am going to burn you all to ashes!"
With that succinct line, fire billowed from Tiki's maw, outright disintegrating the Risen we had so much trouble with.
"Wretched spawn of Naga!" Fauder snarled, barely avoiding the massive gout of holy fire with quick use of his tome. "Verrat, end this charade! Kill them! Kill the Prince and the Conqueror! Do it now!"
I felt my mind vibrate as Verrat's red eyes became brighter. That same shout, that shout of rage and hatred that haunted my nightmares rent itself from his throat. The armored Deadlord shoved past Lucina and Chrom, pushing them aside in his mad dash forward. Tiki swung a paw at him, but Verrat narrowly avoided it, his armor screeching against the strain his body placed on it. Walhart was fighting alongside his men, commanding them. He barely had time to react before Verrat was upon him.
Dazed, I watched as Verrat and Walhart fought. It felt like the Deadlord was gaining momentum as Fauder distracted the rest. The sorcerer Deadlord would not be able to hold up against the combined might of two of the Exalted line, Robin and Tiki, but it didn't look like he'd need to. It seemed as if Verrat was gaining the upper hand.
At least, that's what I saw before my mind went white with pain. Something slammed into my back. My plate armor kept it from doing more damage, but I was on the ground within an instant. Dropped like a sack of rotten potatoes. I looked up to see a Risen smiling down at me, its broken and decaying teeth bearing down on me, its red eyes unblinking, unflinching as it raised its poleaxe, ready to strike me down then and there.
You spaced out again.
I kicked at the Risen's leg, just enough to hear the snap of bone as it stumbled slightly, and the axehead slammed ineffectually into the stone floor. Luckily for me, I didn't have to do much more beyond that; a twin-tailed redhead finished the job.
A blade erupted out of the Risen's chest, and its black blood spilled onto me. The body was thrown to the side with a surprising among of force as Severa came into view. She was battered and bloody, and her breath came out in quick pants, but beyond that, she seemed alright. Even her Pegasus Knight armor seemed to be none the worse for wear. I chalked that up to the rain and laughed wheezily.
"What's this, the fourth time I've had to save you?" Severa smirked smugly. "I think that'll add some coin to my allowance."
"You got your own gold, Sev!" I guffawed, pulling myself off the floor. "What the hell're you doing here, anyway? Thought you and the Pegasus Knights were still outside."
"All the bad guys in the sky are gone," Severa explained quickly, sword at the ready as another Risen approached us. "Apparently Sumia was getting worried, and Cynthia, the fucking nerd, thought Chrom could use the help. They're here too."
Only a small group had gone in; Say'ri, Yen'fay and Priam stayed outside to help clean-up the remnants of the Valmese, though I had no idea what they were doing considering the Risen had shown up out of the blue. In any case, I was grateful for the help.
And I had to admit a bit of pride seeing my daughter do what several armed, trained men could only do together; taking down the Risen that surrounded us. Like I'd said, they were more powerful, stronger. I thought I even heard a few of them laughing, somehow.
I heard a shout, the same one the Deadlord loosed from its helmet. My head turned towards the sound, and my jaw promptly met the ground.
Walhart's body lay at Verrat's feet, the red armor marred by dents. In the Deadlord's gauntleted hand, sat the Conqueror's head. Even in death, his face seemed dignified. Even with the blood gently dripping from his severed neck. Verrat threw the head towards the middle of our formation.
Alas, poor Yorick.
"And so the Conqueror falls," Verrat's raspy voice reached my ears, Requiem gleaming in his grasp. "Prepare to join him, Shepherds. Your end draws near-"
He stopped the instant his glowing red eyes landed on Severa. He leaned his head forward, as if in disbelief.
"That him? The big bad Deadlord?" Severa asked quickly, sword ready.
I nodded. "In all his glory."
"Do not be distracted, Verrat!" Fauder pleaded, nearly sounding frantic. "Fulfill your duty! Finish what you started! End the Exalted line!"
Verrat's eyes glowed brighter still as he clawed at his helmet. A roar unlike anything I'd ever heard came from him, as only one word could be discerned.
Liar.
The Risen surged forward, their snarls and growls and roars nearly deafening me as they showed their master's desperation. Tiki was preoccupied with Fauder, doing everything in her power to disintegrate the bastard. To her credit, it was a battle that the sorcerer Deadlord was losing. It wouldn't be long before the Divine Dragon would get her wish. I reengaged with the Risen, this time significantly calmer. I had Severa by my side, then; what more could I ask for?
Cordelia could've been here too.
I shook that thought away as I slashed through a Risen's gut, releasing its rotting contents onto the floor. The smell was ungodly, but I had no time to be nauseous.
Occasionally, I was able to glance at the greater battle. Robin and Tiki versus Fauder, and Chrom and Lucina versus Verrat. The only one I could get a good look at was the latter, watching as three swords danced between each other again and again. It was like watching a deadly dance.
Chrom was slipping, though. Just slightly, but enough for Verrat to get in a strike that sent him to the ground. Lucina had been pushed away, and Verrat raised Requiem high above his head and slammed against Falchion. The Deadlord was attempting to force the weapon out of Chrom's hand, and just when it looked as if he was about to succeed, someone intervened.
Luna jostled Requiem to the side, and Verrat missed his final blow. The Deadlord snarled and looked to see Sumia there, her face the very definition of fury. Her golden armor shimmered in the holy light of Tiki's flame and within an instant, Luna found its way into Verrat's shoulder. The Deadlord was pushed back, surprise evident as he looked to the puncture mark. Luna had gone through his armor like it wasn't even there.
I was focused on my own battle, of course. The Risen wouldn't kill themselves unless Grima ordered it. Still, I couldn't help but watch as, one by one, Chrom's family pushed Verrat back. Cynthia got the jump on the Deadlord, plunging her spear through his back while letting out a war cry. Lucina got back into the fight, her Falchion once more alight with blue along with her father's. With each blow dealt, armor chipped and cracked as Verrat continuously stumbled against the Exalted family.
"Look at 'em go, heh," I chuckled to myself, using Sol to block whatever blows I could. The Risen were strong, but their strength was faltering. It was like the entirety of their energy was spent trying to kill us during their first onslaught. Fauder was no longer even trying to block Tiki's fire and Robin's lightning; I could hear the shrieks of pain from the sorcerer Deadlord, as he fought back with whatever dark power his master gave him.
"Don't start spacing out again, ya moron!" Severa chided me, cutting into a Risen's midsection and nearly bisecting the fucker before his corpse disappeared into purple smoke. "We can't just let them do all the work, damnit!"
"Ha, ain't that the truth?" I laughed. "Just make sure you don't get flamed, alright? Don't wanna take one to the back!" Somehow, the doom and gloom from earlier were dissipating. A sense of hope pervaded me. We had our bad news; Ylisstol had fallen. Grawin was supposedly a smoking ruin…
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I wasn't thinking about it. It wasn't good. Whatever mood I had before then completely shattered.
"Gawd, why the hell're you bringing that up in the middle of a battle!? We have to-!"
Severa never finished that sentence.
Chrom swung upwards, flanked by his wife and two daughters, and cut straight through Verrat's breastplate and helmet. The Deadlord was sent tumbling backward from the force of the blow, trying his best to steady himself. Eventually, he came to a stop and got to his knees. His breastplate seemed to still be attached, but the helmet was completely broken. Verrat's eyes stared at us as the helmet broke into pieces and fell off his face.
What I saw chilled my blood and bones. My eyes widened looking at it. In hindsight, it was so obvious. I just never connected the dots. Never tried to, at least. I always thought it was too crazy, too out there, too cruel. I should've known Grima better than that. I remembered him from the game, after all, and he was as sadistic as they came.
Verrat's face was like a mirror; my own visage was plastered on his skull. His light purple skin was taut, and his light blond hair barely clung to his scalp. A hole looked as if it had been eaten out of his cheek, revealing his jaw and teeth. There were more scars and a light beard, but beyond that, what I was looking at was a carbon copy of myself.
I am Verrat.
A sword clattered to the ground, starkly contrasting the silence that'd engulfed the ruined throne room. I turned to where the noise had come from. It was Severa, and she was shaking violently. Her blue eyes were wide as she stared at Verrat's exposed face. Her pale skin grew paler by the second as her lips moved along with inaudible words. Soon enough, however, her voice became clear.
All I am surrounded by is fear. And dead men.
"No…" She croaked. "No… No no no no no no! That's n-not possible! Y-You can't be-!"
Chrom and his family were silent, along with Robin and Tiki as Verrat got to his feet. I couldn't speak. Couldn't even will my mouth to move; it was like the life had been sucked out of me.
"Now you see," Verrat spoke, his voice unmarred by his helmet. It sounded so similar to my own yet so different. "This is what lies in your future. This is the fate of men and Exalts. All who oppose the Fell Dragon shall be turned into his puppet and forced to watch and murder strangers with familiar faces. There is no hope. Look upon my face and despair, for there is no escape from this. One day, you will be just like me."
It felt like my mind had been put to flames. As if my brain was cooking over an open fire.
"Y-You told me that…!" Lucina stammered, her grip on Parallel Falchion faltering. "I thought you were-!"
"What is dead may never die," Verrat replied, his gaze impassive for a moment. "I wanted to die, so very much. The Fell Dragon would never allow that, though. Now I am his dog, and he is my master. Were he to order it, I would choke the life out of every last person in the world. There are no exceptions. If you would prevent this, pick up your blades, and kill me."
Verrat hefted Requiem, its silvery shine relighting once more. Verrat screamed then, his mouth opening far wider than was physically possible for a normal person. My head felt as if it would crack like an egg. Thoughts that both were and weren't my own surged through my mind without reprieve. Despite that, I could still see the Risen move. Could still see Chrom push Lucina back as the Risen descended upon them once more. It was like they'd been revitalized by the revelation. Driven to new heights of power based on our shock.
I saw one come up to Severa. She was still standing there, trembling like a little girl lost in a marketplace. I moved before I even consciously ordered myself to. The Risen was large, larger than me, with an axe almost the size of a fully grown man. I pushed my daughter out of the way and brought Sol up, trying to block the blow.
The Risen's axe came down like a boulder, and I heard the snapping of several bones in my wrist and hand. I gritted my teeth and pulled through it, shooting my iron fist forward and socking the purple monster in the jaw. Whatever effect Verrat had on me was gone as I went to town on the Risen, ending it with a stab through the chest, sending black blood splattering against the ground below.
I sighed, letting almost all my thoughts fall to the wayside. "Severa," I called, only to see her sitting on the floor, her back against a crumbling wall and holding her face in her hands. "Severa!"
"Don't fucking talk to me! Leave me alone!" She shrieked, louder than I'd ever heard from her before. "I-I didn't…! We left him behind and I've always-!"
I looked around to see no Risen near us anymore. I tried to help Severa to her feet, but she shoved me away.
Fire still flew, lightning and dark magic surged through the air, and my daughter was having a panic attack in the middle of one of the toughest, bloodiest battles I'd ever seen. Overall, not a very good time.
It got even worse when I heard Chrom shout. Turning one more time, I saw what was up; an orb of pure darkness had been shot from Fauder, taking advantage of the lull in combat. The orb struck Chrom in the shoulder, sending him to the ground. What was most disturbing was seeing it burst into smoke. Black, vile smog choked the air around the lord, and I could hear his hacking coughs from where I was.
"You are a fool, Verrat," Fauder sneered. "How easily you were able to dispatch the Conqueror, and yet you couldn't end the Prince? And now your identity has been revealed…" Fauder's mocking voice quickly turned into a laugh. "Perhaps your past self can see what a glorious creation he would make! See now, all of you! This is what awaits you across the long sea! Your precious Prince will not last long before he becomes as this!"
"Father!" Lucina screamed. She ran toward the fallen lord as the smoke dissipated. Grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him up, Lucina gasped.
I could see it from where I was; dark rings encircled Chrom's eyes, not unlike Frederick. He was still conscious, though, and when Lucina got him up, he unsteadily returned to his feet. He used Falchion to prop himself up as his family surrounded him, protecting him.
I stood by Severa; she was still in the fetal position. Not that I could blame here. Not after what I'd seen as well. The Risen stopped for good, or so it seemed. They were no longer attacking us. I waited to see how long that would last.
Robin stuck close to Tiki's side. I could see his exhaustion; he was slumped, almost leaning on Tiki's leg for support. The Divine Dragon showed no sign of dissuading him from that.
"Our work here is done," Fauder said, his voice echoing in the ruined throne room. "Know this, fools: your Prince will die. A slow, agonizing death fit for one such as he. Every last one of you, the Shepherds, the children, will either suffer the same fate or join our lord in glorious ascendance!"
Verrat rumbled, his red eyes occasionally flicking towards me and Severa. I glared right back at him. No one was going to touch my daughter, not even myself.
"Verrat… do what you must." Fauder ordered.
"…Cowardice. That is all you are, Fauder. Pure cowardice condensed into human form," Verrat growled as his eyes glowed wildly. His voice raised in volume with every word. "I do what I must. As I always have. As you are a coward, I am a wretch. A thing of biting teeth and slashing swords. God damn you all. Every last one of you!" Verrat looked at me one last time as black smog flowed from his mouth. The Deadlord version of me began clawing at his chest, tearing away the ruined breastplate and purple flesh. Black blood flowed openly from the self-inflicted wounds. "This is your fate, Alexander. One day, you'll serve the Fell Dragon! All that you are will turn to dust, as it did for me!"
I covered my ears as Verrat let loose a roar from his broken maw. Cynthia attempted to surge forward with her spear, but Sumia stopped her. I couldn't hear what they were saying anymore, due to Verrat's screeches, but I got the gist of it.
Run!
"Severa, c'mon, get up!" I shouted, sheathing Sol quickly.
Severa said nothing. She didn't even move.
"Goddamnit, we can talk about this later! If you don't get up, I'll fucking carry you out!" I exclaimed.
Her head moved, slowly, until her blue eyes met mine. Tears streamed freely down her face. It was a far cry from the confidence she showed up to that point. My daughter needed someone, anyone in that moment, but I couldn't be. Not emotionally. We needed to get out of there. I didn't know what Verrat was doing, or what Fauder was forcing him to do, but we weren't waiting to find out.
"D-Dad…" Severa stammered. "I-I can't-!"
"Then I'll help you, but we're not fucking staying here!" I hooked my right arm under her knees and placed the other along her back. I took a look around to see everyone surging towards the ruined exit, flowing out through it like a river of people. I heard Tiki's roar as crumbling rock fell from the ceiling. Verrat's screams grew louder still, nearly deafening me completely. I ran through the throne room, passing bodies and broken weapons as I held Severa in my arms.
Just as I passed the threshold, I heard a massive explosion. Globules of pure dark energy surged from Verrat's chest, slamming into the walls and ceiling and pillars holding the throne room together. The entire castle was collapsing under the power. Whatever Verrat had done, it had effectively doomed the entire building. His screams echoed in my brain, making me ears shriek. I held Severa close to me as we escaped outside. Rain still poured, and the occasional crackle and light of thunder shot through the dark sky, but it was better than Valm Castle.
I watched as the entire structure began falling in on itself. It was like a black hole had suddenly erupted in the middle of the castle, crashing and pulling in all the stone towards it. I almost couldn't believe it. It was like watching something from far away, like the events that transpired within was from somebody else's life that I was a simple watcher of.
And just like, the end of the Valmese War. The castle crumbled into a pile of rock and rubble.
The army quickly organized itself. Our casualties were a bit on the high side, but we still commanded a considerable force. I found the tents where they were harboring the weak and wounded and placed Severa on a cot within. She was still conscious, as far as I could tell. Just… in shock.
I grabbed ahold of her hand and squeezed it. Her blue eyes focused on mine one last time before I left. She only said two words, but they were enough to chill me to the bone.
"I'm sorry…" She rasped.
I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I stood up, then, and allowed the healers to do their work. Not that I was sure they could do much for her; her injuries were clearly not physical.
Once I was outside, the rain slowly dripping down my face, I collapsed. I fell to my hands and knees, suddenly feeling weak and lightheaded. A laugh left me. A humorless one that disturbed me, but I couldn't stop. They just came out. I looked down and lifted my iron hand up to my face, studying it before laughing again, harder. It got to the point where I couldn't tell whether I was actually laughing or crying.
I am Verrat. I am a Deadlord.
It finally hit me, then. I couldn't just push it to the back of my mind anymore. My future self had been turned into Grima's puppet. I murdered Emmeryn, all those years ago. I was the one who did Grima's bidding, doing God knew what in his name. I was certainly not laughing, at least, not anymore. It was too much. All of it. I could barely keep a handle on what threatened to explode in my head. I wanted to thrash around. I wanted to break shit.
I didn't, but the thought was there, and it wouldn't go away.
And that revelation wasn't even the start of it; Ylisse had fallen to Grima's armies. Ylisstol itself had been conquered. Robin knew, all the way towards the start of the war, that Grima likely wouldn't do nothing while we were in Valm. Some of our best soldiers and Shepherds stayed behind to halt any machinations, but we underestimated Grima. We underestimated the greatest threat to mankind. What I told Robin before the battle began was true; we were clowns. Fools. Morons. We were so focused on the enemy in front of us that we barely paid any attention to the true enemy behind us. We knew all along that he'd return, hell, he technically already had. And, because of our stupidity, thousands were dead or dying back home, and the fates of those we left behind were unknown.
The dark clouds didn't clear up as I stayed there, on my hands and knees. The sun was setting, though. I could see that, even through the black, unnatural clouds. I wondered how long it would be until I saw it again.
"Alex? What're you…?"
I looked up to see Cordelia standing there, with wet red hair and holding her cloak close to herself. I laughed again. A painful one.
"Cordy," I greeted curtly. "We're so fucked, Cordy. So, so fucked."
"I don't…" She shook her head before approaching me. "Here, let me help you up."
I stared at her outstretched hand, feeling a bit of warmth return to my chest at the gesture, despite the cold rain. I sighed and took it, and she hoisted me up with surprising strength.
"I'm sorry, Cordy. I…" I swallowed, feeling a lump in my throat. "The battle… the battle didn't go so well if you hadn't noticed."
"Rest assured, I've noticed," Cordelia stated, crossing her arms as she looked around. The ground had become muddy with rain, and our forces traveled between tents hurriedly. I had no idea where the others had gone after we escaped Valm Castle's collapse. I wanted to go find them, but Cordelia and Severa came first. They always came first. "I saw the castle's destruction from the camp, and the soldiers speak of the Risen. I suppose you were ambushed."
I nodded. "Yeah, you could say that. Not just by Risen, though. The Deadlords were there too. Verrat and Fauder."
"The Deadlords?" Cordelia echoed, looking behind me at one of our many medical tents. "Gods… Alex, is Severa okay? Is she-?"
Cordelia moved to past me, but I stopped her. "She's fine, Cordy. Physically, anyway. She, uh… had a breakdown in the middle of the battle, when she and several other Pegasus Knights came to reinforce us."
"A breakdown? Gods!" Cordelia gasped. "How could she have…? What happened in there, Alex? Please, tell me!"
My lips thinned as I looked down at the muddy ground. "Well, um, during the battle, Walhart got axed. By Verrat. Up until that point, they were just fighting us. The usual, you know. But once Walhart went down, Chrom's entire family got involved and helped him. During the battle, Verrat's helmet was torn off, and…" I struggled to say what happened next. It still hadn't completely sunk in yet.
Cordelia's eyes narrowed before widening to the size of dinner plates. "…It was you, wasn't it?"
Still avoiding her gaze, I silently nodded.
"Alex, love, I'm…" Cordelia approached me. "That's what caused Severa to… to break down, right? I can scarcely believe it myself, but when I think about it… Gods, Alex, I'm sorry."
I looked up, surprised. "What're you apologizing for? In hindsight, it was kinda obvious, huh?" I asked. "I guess I just didn't want to believe it. That I could become a monster like that. I should've known better. Sev hasn't kept it a secret that my future self was a real piece of work after you died. I just didn't think I'd- he'd fallen so low. It's kinda funny when you think about it."
"I've thought about it, and I don't find it funny in the slightest," Cordelia stated flatly.
"Well, what's really funny was that he said I'd become just like him." I looked Cordelia in the eyes, then, which felt harder than it ever had before. "That everything I was would turn into dust. Just like it did for him. Guess that explains all the nightmares and shit I've been having. Maybe I'm doomed to become like that. A puppet for Grima to parade around after the world ends."
The real question is if it'll be the Robin I know or the one from the future who will do it.
"That's not going to happen, Alex," Cordelia said resolutely, cupping my cheek as she stepped forward. "Look at me. As long as I'm breathing, I will never let you fall."
I shrugged, though I grasped her hand in my own. "And if it happens anyway? It's already happened before, you know. Or… fuck it, I can't think about that right now. Makes my head hurt," I held my arms out to my sides. "That's not even the worst of it, Cordy. That's just a fucking prelude to the really shitty news. Ylisse has fallen."
Cordelia's skin grew pale. "Alex, you can't mean…"
"Grima destroyed Grawin and conquered Ylisstol. At least, that's what my future self told us," I continued, thoroughly exhausted. "Told us that the rest of the cities were still fighting, but…"
Cordelia grew quiet, then. Some part of me knew that I'd fucked up in some way, but she deserved to know. She would've eventually. I knew that I didn't mince words, but I probably could have come up with a better way to say it.
"Your parents are going to be fine, Cordy," I said suddenly. Cordelia's eyes met mine again. In that moment, she looked the most vulnerable I'd ever seen her. I just wanted to gather her in my arms and never let go. A spark returned to me, then. A fire burned in my chest. Not one of anger or hate, but of determination. "And we'll be fine. You were right, Cordy. I don't care about my future self. I'm me. And I refuse to become the man I did in the future. Deadlord and all."
"Alex…" Cordelia whispered, stepping ever so closer. "There's no way we will be able to return to Archanea before winter comes. We'll be stuck here until it's over. Do you truly believe that anything within Ylisse will remain standing if what you said is true?"
I nodded. "I do. And you should, too. Gotta have something to hold onto, right?"
Cordelia let out a breath, closing her eyes. "I suppose you aren't wrong. Still, these next few months will be difficult, won't they?"
I let out one more humorless laugh. "Probably! Probably. But we'll do it together, so I'm not afraid. How about you?"
Cordelia looked down at her own clenched fist, and then towards her swollen stomach. "…Our child will likely be born by then. I'll be able to shake off the remnants of my wound, and I will rejoin you on the battlefield. A part of me is definitely afraid, love, but as long as you're with me, I'll be able to act in spite of it."
"Damn, that's better than what I said…" I muttered to myself. I looked towards the sky, which had turned a shade of gray rather than pitch black. "I'm going to check on Chrom and try to find Robin. Get an idea of what we do from here. I left Severa in the tent there." I jerked a thumb behind me. "I'm sure she could use a visit from you right now. The way she reacted to Verrat being me was… well, I don't think I'd be a welcome sight if she's asleep and wakes up."
I wasn't able to say more before Cordelia forcefully kissed me. I returned in kind, for as long as she wanted. When she pulled away, her face remained close to mine.
"She will just need time to process it, love," Cordelia said quietly. "No matter what you say about yourself, you're a wonderful father. And an even more wonderful husband."
I coughed into my fist as she retreated from me and into the tent nearby. "Well, alright, then. I'll just, uh, get going then."
With my mind made up, I went to find Robin and Chrom.
It didn't take a lot of searching to find out where Chrom had gone, at the very least. He'd been taken to the largest tent around, with some of the best healers in our army by his bedside, along with his family. It felt as if the clouds that had clouded the sky since the beginning of the battle swirled around his personal tent as if it was the epicenter. I still remembered how he was struck by the ball of darkness, how it entered his body and made him look so much like-
Like Frederick.
That got to me. Frederick's condition was stable, but continuously growing worse, the last I saw him. It was as if he had been withering away since he was struck by Knightbane. Of course, Chrom didn't have his ribcage caved in by a giant war hammer, but that didn't ease my growing anxiety in the slightest.
Possibly against my better judgment, I went to visit the blue-haired lord before finding Robin.
I made my way to his tent, only to stumble across the last person I wanted to see.
Lucina stood between me and Chrom's tent, far away from prying ears. She glared at me, her heterochromatic gaze feeling as if it was drilling a hole through my skull. She assumed a stance, one I'd only seen her take when we were fighting against Risen or Valmese.
"You lied." She stated simply, her hand on Falchion's pommel.
I pursed my lips. "No."
"You lied!" She snarled, marching over to me. "I asked you if you knew anything that could help us, and you lied! You lied about Emmeryn, you lied about your knowledge, and you lied about our own tactician's true nature!" She stopped just in front of me. "All I want to know is why, Sir Alexander. Why did you lie to me? To us? We could've…"
I shook my head, standing my ground as the wind fluttered about us, the dark gray clouds never faltering. "Let me guess: you were going to kill Robin, weren't you? Bury Falchion in his chest? Cut an innocent life short so that the future could be brighter?" I tried my best to keep my breathing under control, but my exhaustion was truly getting to me, then. Even with Sol's capabilities helping me through the battle, it appeared it had a limit. "It doesn't work that way, Lucina."
"How can you know?" She asked furiously.
"Because Grima's already here, goddamnit!" I shouted, holding my arms out to my sides. "Kill Robin? Wouldn't changed a goddamn thing! You wanna know something about those legends, Lucina? I don't remember a lot about them anymore, but I do remember that Robin's body is the Vessel. His body. Even if you killed him, Grima could still use his body to resurrect. And if we burned it? Well, he's already here, so that clearly wouldn't fucking work, would it? Killing Robin wouldn't solve anything, Lucina. We'd just lose our best damn chance short of yourself or your father at saving the world."
"You should have told me," Lucina said, suddenly quiet and looking at her feet. "You should have told us. I had a right to know!"
"Yeah, and knowing is certainly helping you right now, isn't it?" I asked rhetorically. "If I told you, you'd march straight up to Robin and murder him right then and there, wouldn't you?"
Lucina was silent as she looked at the tent behind her, her eyes watery. "My father is in there, Sir Alex. Cursed. My purpose was to prevent his and the Shepherds deaths at the claws of the Fell Dragon. To prevent the world's ending," Lucina shook her head. "I have done none of those things. Even you have come back to haunt me – to haunt us."
"You're going to find him, aren't you?" I demanded to know. "You're going to go out there and find him and kill him. I saw your father get hit with that dark magic, Lucina. I looked at my own face when Verrat was unmasked, and I still haven't given up. Things aren't looking good right now, but look around you! Almost all of the Shepherds have made it! Once winter is over, we can storm the shores of Ylisse and take back what's ours! You don't need to kill Robin to do that! Killing him won't un-curse Chrom, it won't erase what's happened."
"How can I listen to anything you say, Sir Alex?" Lucina asked quietly, silencing me. "After all that has happened, after all the lies and deceit you and your future self have said and performed, how can I trust a single word that you say?"
"What…?" I murmured. "I have a wife and daughter to worry about, Lucina. I have never once lied to you. I've always told you the truth. Lying to you would put their lives in danger far more than they already are."
Lucina shook her head. "I will do what I must, Sir Alex. To ensure to the best of my abilities that the future ahead is a bright one. Goodbye, Alex."
"Lucina, don't you fucking dare-!" I moved to stop her, but I knew how exhausted my body was; she was still walking strong, and she would've just broken out into a run if I followed her. "Goddamnit…!" I cursed.
I felt the weight of my own actions crushing me. In hindsight, telling her about Robin's true nature would've mitigated her reaction. It would've betrayed Robin's trust, but that would've been better than the current situation. I didn't lie to her, not technically, but I knew what I did would've shaken her trust in me. I cursed myself for it. It felt as if everything was falling apart around me, crumbling much as Valm Castle did.
I need to find Robin and make sure he's safe, but first…
Looking on towards Chrom's tent, I sighed to myself. Perhaps it was the stupid option after all that'd happened, but I wanted to make sure he was fine, at least, for that moment. Lucina said he was cursed, and based on how Frederick looked when we left, I wasn't filled with confidence.
Nonetheless, I trudged on.
I opened Chrom's tent with my iron hand and walked inside silently, or as silently as I could.
"Who goes there!? Halt, stay where you are-!" A light voice commanded. I looked down to see a spear pointed directly at my throat, and I followed its shaft to see Cynthia standing there, her blue eyes fierce. Once she realized it was me, she blinked and put her spear down. "S-Sir Alexander! Sorry about that! I didn't realize you'd be coming!"
I sighed. "It's no problem, Cynthia. Defending your dad, I take it?"
Cynthia played with her fingers. "W-Well, as best as I can, of course! Nobody shall enter our abode without my say-so! Er, not that I expect any of the Shepherds would try and hurt him…"
I nodded, looking on behind her to see Chrom laid out on a bed, his armor scattered around the tent. Sumia was at his side, holding his hand. It looked as if she'd been crying.
Looking back to the blue-haired Pegasus Knight, I asked: "Is Chrom awake?"
"I-I think so?" Cynthia answered uncertainly. "He's been in and out since we got back. B-But I'm sure he'll be fine, though! He just needs rest!"
"Of course," I replied. "May I speak to him?"
"Eh? I mean, if you want."
I pulled up a chair next to Chrom's bedside. The blue-haired lord had his head turned to the side, looking at his wife. When I sat down, however, he looked to me. The black circles around his eyes didn't put me at ease. He looked exhausted, more exhausted than me.
"Alex," He rasped. "Didn't expect to see you here. It's nice to see a friendly face, though."
"Well, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night without making sure our Prince was alright." I looked up. "…and our Queen, too."
Sumia wiped at her eyes. "I-I'll be fine. It's Chrom I'm worried about. He's…"
Chrom coughed. "Damn it all. I've been cursed. I can feel it. My body feels… wrong. I can hardly move…"
I nodded. "Lucina said the same thing when I spoke with her." I let out a breath. "You'll be fine, Chrom. I'm sure of it. Just get some rest, man, alright?"
Chrom barked a laugh before coughing again. "Gods, I feel as if I could sleep forever…" He heard Sumia sharp intake of breath, and quickly backpedaled. "Er, I mean, for the night. I'll not leave you, Sumia, Cynthia. Not while there's so much to do." Chrom grimaced. "I feel useless. Helpless. Our daughter, the other Lucina, she's in Ylisstol. If what that Deadlord said was true, then…"
Sumia placed a hand against Chrom's cheek while the other stroked the top of his hand. "Don't think about that right now, my love. Just relax."
I leaned back and looked to my right and saw Falchion laying off to the side. My lips thinned as I thought about bringing up Robin and Lucina. "…Chrom, about Robin…"
He opened his eyes and looked at me. For just a moment, he looked just as energized as he did when the battle first started. "Robin is my friend, Alex."
I nodded. "Yes, and he's also the Fell Dragon's vessel." I gulped. "It… explains a lot, doesn't it? That person we met on Carrion Isle, the King and Hierophant."
"Robin is my friend," Chrom repeated. "I don't think any less of him. If he were truly against us, on Grima's side, there'd be no reason for those Deadlords to tell us about him. They did that to try and shake our trust in him, and I won't fall for it."
I shrugged. "I don't think Lucina sees it the same way."
"…Alex, is she…?" He attempted to sit up but fell back down again. "Alex, I think I know what she's about to do. You said you spoke with her?"
"Uh, a little bit. She seemed a bit angry." I replied sheepishly.
"Stop her," He ordered adamantly. "Stop her, please. She's going to try and kill him, isn't she? Stop her. Make sure that she doesn't!"
I stood up, then, a lot more forcefully than I intended. "As you command, Chrom. She won't lay a hand on him if I can help it."
"Don't hurt her, either," Sumia said quietly. "Don't fight her. I don't want either of you to be injured fighting over something like this."
I nodded. "Don't worry, Sumia. I got this."
Something about Chrom's orders galvanized me. I stepped outside into the dark world around us. Looking to my side, Sol's golden scabbard reflecting the little light still available, I felt a strange sense of peace.
If I knew anything about Robin, he'd probably allow Lucina to go through with it. And I wasn't going to let that happen.
And with that, we wrap up this two-parter. Goddamn, this was heavy. And it only gets better from here, I assure you. We're hurtling towards the final arc, and consequently the end of the fic, at breakneck speeds! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it!
Last addition here, but recently I, Stormtide_Leviathan, and Bobcat18 wrote a small cross-over story featuring our OCs on AO3! The story is titled 'Tales from the Summoner's Undercroft'. Storm is the author of Stolen Remedy, and Bob is the author of Rigged from the Start. The former is an OC-insert into 3H, while the latter is an SI into the Bad Future of Awakening of all things! I recommend them both wholeheartedly, and encourage you to check out the cross-over. It was a blast to write and I hope we get together and do another bit soon!
Here's a link to our Discord server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a
Hope you have a good day, and see you next time!