1. Fantasy
((Author's Note: Taking a quick break from Lost to the Waves to do an entire experimental fanfic-jazz album based on the AUgust event. One chapter will be one story/prompt, per day for all of August. Pertinent warnings/summaries will be included for each entry. Thank you for reading!))
Day 1: Fantasy. Aka the Twilight Princess/Ladyhawke/FE:A Fusion AU.
This world is a strange shadow, a twisting of the world and home he knows… And his form has shifted to match it.
He risks cutting his tongue on fangs, and his lips curl to show them in frustration. The shadows of this place twist around him and scramble his new senses, motes of black dancing like ash in front of him. Those motes drift upwards, through a world of all washed out colors and a strange sky that glows overhead like it's been set aflame.
There's still shivers running through him, where the transformation gripped him in savage teeth, and didn't let him go until he'd been completely changed.
If he ever makes it out of this, if the shadows ever give way to daylight, and he loses the fur and claws, Chrom swears he'll never take thumbs or walking on two feet for granted, ever again. His body still feels rough around the edges, and some of the wildness of this shape feels like it's spilling into his brain; making him more feral, ready to snap and lash out-
Chrom takes a deep breath through his snout, trying to center himself and above all else keep his thoughts HUMAN. Not a wolf's, no matter how tempting it is to let a more savage side take over-
A flash of white interrupts his thoughts, as a strange silver-white hawk dips out from the sky. His ears pin back as he watches the bird swoop in and out of the branches. It gives a faint piping noise, and pulls him forward.
The hawk has been his closest thing to a guide, ever since he stumbled into this place. He'd first seen it flitting through the black and gold forest, like a shard of silver fire had escaped from the sky. It had been the one bright and vibrant, living part in this shadowed world. And this hawk seems to know where it wishes them both to go, constantly swooping back to try and get him to move. And strange as this place is, he prefers not having to face it alone-
Particularly not when strange black shapes skate along the ground after him, half phantasm and half spider with their long, razor tipped tendrils. One lashes out at him, trying to lay open his foreleg, and he barely manages to dart away. The claw lashes at him, the wake of its attack almost cutting his fur and the skin underneath it.
The monster… Doesn't look RIGHT. It's not something he'd ever see in the normal world, where the sky doesn't burn and the shadows stay where they belong. It's a mass of writhing limbs, joined by crowds of other shadows to form a blanket of hissing blackness moving over the wilderness.
There's a hint of scarlet eyes glaring up at him. Full of rage, making Chrom bristle in response.
It's instinct that makes him lash out, hook his fangs into the shadow, and shake it until it breaks apart. Chrom chokes back a sick feeling in the back of his throat, dropping the dead thing and bracing for the next.
Something moves in the corner of his eyes, a new shadow monster rushing in too close for him to dodge, ready to hook claws into him-
But if the monster is focused on him, then it doesn't see the hawk angling out of the gloom. Its claws stretch out, eight dagger points that all hook into the monster's skull. It's wrenched away from Chrom, expiring with a shrill cry.
More of the beasts try to close and overwhelm the hawk, now that it's on the ground. Chrom throws himself into them, snarling, laying in with tooth and claw and driving them back… Or at least, driving back those that don't break apart between his jaws.
The hawk takes back to the air, and the taste of strange shadowed blood sends Chrom into a frenzy. Together they scythe into the monsters, until only one is left, scurrying away before Chrom can give chase-
Instead, he glimpses the hawk diving on the remaining creature and shredding it under talons. The monsters fade away between the two of them… And with them, the strange, twisted world also fades out, replaced with a familiar, bright forest.
Chrom lets out a gasp in surprise, and realizes he can't feel or hear a growl in his throat. He reaches up to his neck, and feels hands and fingers brush against his skin.
"I'm… Human again?" He whispers, his voice rough from not being used.
"…Gods, but I missed being able to stand on two feet, and having fingers instead of feathers." Comes a new voice, making him bolt upright. He finds that he isn't alone in the forest clearing; someone clad in dark robes stands over him, slowly pushing a hood away from her head.
Her hair is a match for those silvery wings he'd glimpsed, and he can still see a few feathers caught in the strands.
"So you're the prince that wandered into the Twilight Realm." She tells Chrom.
"Wandered-?" Chrom sputters out. While his thoughts are a roil, much like his skin's constant twitching… He can still remember a few of the details; and he's certain he didn't stumble into that world by pure chance.
Chrom tries to find his feet as he talks, and step towards her… In the same moment, she mirrors him, trying to move closer. Both of them fail miserably in their efforts, and stumble into the other. It might be hilarious, if Chrom doesn't bump his face into the woman's forehead and bruises his nose.
And yet she manages a bewildered laugh.
"You're not exactly graceful on two legs, compared to being a wolf… But then again, neither am I." She takes pity on Chrom's bewildered look. "I'm like you; I found myself in that other world… It's like a shadow of the normal world. A sort of mirrored realm, where spirits live. And where humans like us can't keep our normal forms, for long."
She sobers as she speaks. "I… Honestly lost track, of how long I'd been trapped in there. Until I found you. Wandering around in the woods. It helped me remember, that there was supposed to be a way out of that place."
"A-And it only happened when we fought off those things." Chrom says. There'd been a strange presence to those creatures; almost like they were warping the surrounding areas.
Chrom glances around, to make sure that world won't clap its jaws back over them again. But he doesn't see a trace of the rippling Twilight Realm. Just a deepening night sky, and a rising moon.
"I…" He slowly tries to recount what happened. "I was sent out to find a distortion, something making people vanish. And I remember seeing… A strange portal in the wilderness…" He suppresses a shudder. "Something pulled me through; like a shadowy limb shot out and grabbed me by the throat-"
He goes up to rub at his neck… But instead, the woman next to him presses her fingers to his neck, in an oddly soothing gesture.
"Similar to me… Though I had something pushing and pulling me through a strange ripple. I remember that much." She dips her head. "I… Think I've lost a few memories. A price from being in there too long, perhaps."
"W-well," Chrom fidgets a little under her touch, yet doesn't want her to break away. "We can figure it out one thing at a time, Robin…"
He stops short, as the name washes over him. He remembers when he first spotted the hawk, dipping among the shadows; and as she flew by, he heard a strange whisper in the wind. Something that could have been this woman's name. He finds himself saying as much, out loud.
"…I thought I got impression of your name too, when I first saw you." Robin admits. "Prince Chrom… Though I might have gotten the 'prince' from how proudly you held yourself, even as a wolf."
"Well… You're not wrong." He admits. "Do you know of a place called Ylisse?"
"A… A kingdom?" Robin tries.
"Right. And it's right on the border of this place… And our scouts keep seeing flickers of shadows, and strange doors and rifts, like what we were pulled through. I went out to investigate it… And got more than what I bargained for." He can faintly remember spending the entire day looking for strange sights, ready to give up, until the setting sun turned the world ablaze around him… And revealed that strange door.
"I think… That Twilight Realm is reaching out, into this one. Hungry for something." Robin tells him. "But apparently, it made a mistake when it chose you. Because when I saw you, I remembered that there was something beyond the shadowed world."
It's oddly flattering, hearing that.
"Will you come back with me?" He half asks, half offers. "I don't know if anyone will believe me, otherwise… And I-"
He didn't want that other world reaching out to take her back. Or take HIM back; and if they watch out for the other, that makes him feel a little more secure. Robin must feel the same, as she gives a small nod. Chrom manages to pull them both up, finding a little strength from her presence, and is able to make his steps more sure.
That shadow world isn't finished with him, Chrom is certain of that much. The same is true of Robin, as she glances around, a wary and vigilant look still on her face.
"…We know how to banish that place, at least." Robin murmurs. "Those monsters seem to spread the influence, and defeating them weakens the hold that world has."
Chrom has to nod at that. Knowing he might get drawn back in SHOULD give him chills… And yet, Robin keeps her hand in his. Instead, he can only focus on the warmth of her touch.
-o-o-o-
He needs that same touch, when he lays eyes on the castle of Ylisse. The closer they draw to it, the more it looks like a mirage, flickering in the waning daylight. Motes of shadow dance along the rooftops… Uncannily similar to the Twilight Realm he'd found himself in. As he watches, Chrom can feel the beginnings of hackles bristling against his neck, and the faint brush of fur.
Somehow, a similar pocket of Twilight has descended over the castle… And the gods only know what happens to those within.
Chrom lets out a strangled cry, ready to throw himself forward… But Robin holds him back.
"H-hold a moment!" She cries out. He still tries to reach out to the castle and struggle out from under Robin, but that's when the beginnings of claws try to sprout from his fingers. One step more, and the same Twilight Realm that twisted him before will get its fangs back into him.
Chrom has to break off his charge with a shudder and a barely subdued snarl.
"Gods… They took my kingdom!?" As his rage dies away, Chrom feels a sob build in his throat. "I… I just left the gates this morning. How could it-?"
"I-it was the Twilight Realm." Robin tells him. "You've seen the monsters that lurk there… And that must have been why the veil we were in weakened. Because all the energy was focused on taking over a new realm."
"What… What happened to the people in the castle? A-and my sisters-?"
"If their souls weren't strong enough… They might be little more specters now. Not dead, but living a half, shadowed life." It's cold enough comfort for Chrom, chilling his skin the same way that sweat coats his body.
"Chrom… I can feel the realm trying to pulse out." Robin warns him. "If we stay here, we'll get caught up in it, and-"
And he doesn't know if his body or mind would survive another change, so soon. Robin's grip loosens on him, her touch trying to become soothing and steadying as she traces her hand along his arm.
"…We're not abandoning them." Chrom says, wincing at the deep snarl seeping into his voice. He glares over at Robin, bracing for an argument-
He catches sight of her eyes, looking uncannily unlike a human's; the iris shifted to gold, and crowding out the whites of her eyes. It's a reminder that this place has a grip on her as well.
"…We won't." Robin slowly breathes out. "But we need to find a better way to fight against this, than just claws and fangs." Chrom can only nod, and let Robin lead him away. But as he turns, he can't help but look back at the castle… And he sees strange phantasms moving along the walls. Just like Robin says, spectres seem to loom-
And indistinct as most of them are, he picks out a clearer, stronger formed shadowy form on the ramparts. And that shadow has a set of blood red eyes that watch them flee. Chrom feels another shiver and bristle run over him; he remembers seeing similar blood red eyes on the end of the shadowy hand that snapped over his throat. And pulled him into the Twilight Realm.
Chrom glares back at them, trying to memorize those eyes… Because he has the feeling, that those things are responsible for the loss of his castle.
-o-o-o-
Time stretches out, as they're forced to put the castle at their backs. Chrom has vague recollection of an inn nearby… And at last, they manage to find it, fires and candle light streaming through the windows under the moonlight. Talismans of glass are hung at the doorways, half to ward off poor luck, and to invite travelers inside.
He half crawls towards the inn, stifling the impulse to drop onto four legs and bolt towards it… Or shy away from the glow of fire. His mind can't seem to quite decide whether the heat and hints of flames are inviting, or intimidating. Robin grips at Chrom's shoulder, keeping his focus on moving forwards. They've marched half through the night, looking for survivors from the castle.
"So… That's an inn?" Robin murmurs, like she's never seen such a building before. Her curiosity keeps them walking, until they step into the warm light of the inn. Chrom lets his breath out, but doesn't take the hood from his face just yet; he wants to read the room first, figure out what sort of travelers dwell here-
"Gentlemen!" Comes a high voice from one of the tables. And a familiar voice, at that; one that snaps Chrom's head around, desperate to find the source. "I'd like to propose a toast!"
Sure enough, he can pick out the sunny fabric of Lissa's vest. She doesn't make it hard to miss her either, with how she clambers up on one of the tables and holds her glass aloft.
"Who…?" Robin picks up on how Chrom tenses. "S-someone you know?"
"Yes…" Chrom murmurs, still staring, still half afraid that fatigue and lingering magic are playing tricks on him somehow. "That's… My sister. And somehow she-"
"We toast to the bravest souls who managed to slip past the grasp of the Twilight Realm!" Lissa shouts to the inn. And he knows his sister well enough to know when her boasts are covering something else… In this case, trauma. There's a slight haunted quality to her eyes, even beneath her boast. Chrom can see that much… And it makes him hesitate in removing his cowl.
"What… Are you talking about?" Robin speaks for him, drawing Lissa's eyes.
"Just that my friends and I… Well, take your pick." She gestures to another blonde girl trying to shush her, who Chrom quickly recognizes as Maribelle. And he can see a few others; there is Sumia, restlessly shifting in her seat, while Vaike sits up a little straighter, rising to the boast.
"…Bold words." Says one of the strangers by the table; one who doesn't show the usual cadence of Ylissean speech. He wants to hiss a warning at Lissa, just like Maribelle is trying to get her to stand down. But there's something wrong with his voice; there's still a growl that lurks in his words, and he's half terrified that if he tries to speak, he'll sound like an animal.
The stranger pays no heed to Chrom, focused all on Lissa, something in his gaze urging her to continue.
"Well, they're all true! We barely managed to slip out, thanks to Sumia's pegasus."
"…I just wish we managed to save a few more." Sumia says to that, staring at her glass; like she can find a way to go back and fix her problems, down at the bottom of her drink. In response, Lissa reaches out and gives her a surprisingly gentle pat on the back.
And so she misses the way the stranger lays a hand on a black steel hilted dagger.
At his side, Robin tenses up as she watches the stranger; there's something about him that makes Chrom bristle as well. Even if swords are a common sight among people, with the threat of monsters, the dagger the man carries sets him on edge.
"Well… All things being equal, I think you may have been happier if you stayed there." The stranger's voice comes out in an unnerving croon, and even Lissa freezes.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"I mean that I have my orders, to ensure there weren't any survivors. When I throw you back into the realm, make sure to tell Grima's chief vassal that Gangrel sent you there."
He stands up, and the hood of his cloak falls aside, showing a bristle of red hair, and hungry gold eyes; eyes that carry the same glow as the Twilight Realm.
Chrom just barely recognizes the face; he's seen it on the borders of Ylisse often enough, glaring across the boundaries at him. Lissa finally recognizes the stranger as well; that he normally dwells across the borders of their kingdoms, in the ruined shadows of Plegia.
The others rise up, trying to stop Gangrel short… But it's clear the Plegian fighter didn't cross the border alone. He gives a curt order, and sends his own soldiers sweeping forward. The band of Plegians match the Ylissean's man for man… But are better armed. The best the Ylisseans can manage is Vaike grabbing a wine bottle and smashing it open on the table.
Chrom forces himself upright, even as Gangrel draws his dagger… And the steel gives an odd glint in the candlelight; the blackened steel seems to almost drink up the orange glow. Like he's looking at a shard of night itself.
'Or a shard of Twilight.' Chrom has just enough time to think, before he throws himself forward; Vaike is already busy warding off two soldiers and protecting Maribelle, leaving Sumia and Lissa to fend for themselves against Gangrel… But not for long, before Chrom throws himself forward.
"Stay away from her!" He snaps out, not caring about the snarl in his voice now; it makes Gangrel still, and even go a bit pale when he turns to face Chrom. He lashes out with the dagger, and Chrom barely manages to twist his head aside in time. He takes little more than a cut along his cheek, as the blade catches and snags at his cowl, tearing the hood aside.
His skin bristles from the wake of the dagger, and he feels his lips pull back in a snarl… And show teeth that feel a little too sharp.
Gangrel's eyes widen when he sees Chrom.
"So… The prince of Ylisse somehow got out with his skin in one piece."
"Ch-Chrom!?" Lissa blurts out, staring at him.
"Or… Maybe I spoke too soon." Gangrel continues narrowing his eyes. From where the knife brushed against his cheek, Chrom feels a sudden twinge along his skin. And a bristle of fur growing in a line along his face. Gangrel gives a dark chuckle at that, twirling the dagger in his fingers.
"Wh… Where did you get that!?" Robin finds her voice next, and it comes out in a strange shriek. Gangrel's grin only grows when he hears her. He turns to Robin… And there's a recognition in his expression that makes Chrom's stomach go tight.
"Don't you remember, dear girl?" He taunts her and Chrom. "They're shards tied to that oh-so pesky Twilight Realm… And they help to further the place's reach. And we couldn't make them without YOUR help."
He leers at Robin, holding the dagger out and keeping Chrom at arm's width. Chrom curses himself… But he can FEEL his flesh ripple, in answer to that unsheathed blade. It wants to answer the magic emanating from the weapon, to twist his body again.
"I'll be sure to bring you back to Validar… Either human or with a few more feathers sprouting from your hide. But first… I'll see about the escaped royals." He whirls around, ready to either impale Lissa on the dagger, or slice her open. "I wonder what sort of specter you'll make, in the Twilight Realm-?"
Robin doesn't give him a chance to finish, throwing herself forward with a shriek, heedless of the cut she takes… And her human form winking out in strange ripple of glaring light and shadow. She's lunges past the aura from the blade, laying into Gangrel with talons and turning one side of his face into a mess of reddened furrows. The Plegian adds his screams to Robin's clutching at his ruined face with his free hand.
Her talons sever something else as well; a bright shard of something drops from Gangrel's throat, trailing a broken chord… And in response, Gangrel's flesh starts to blacken, his veins turning to strange, inky tendrils winding across his skin.
'That thing, whatever it was, kept the black dagger in check.'
Gangrel swings wildly about, trying to lash at the hawk, even as Robin flutters about. The blade licks across her blood feathers, making her cry out… And the sight of the dagger slashing at her, shoots a sudden bolt of rage through Chrom.
He finds himself pulled forward as well, heedless of how the blackened dagger warps his flesh. The twist of bristling fur along his cheek spreads, washing over him, making his jaw pop as his teeth grow long and sharp-
Gangrel's dagger swipes don't last much longer, as Chrom closes his jaws around the man's wrist. With a quick twist of his head, the bones beneath his jaws snap like old, winter dried sticks.
With a snarl, Chrom digs his back claws into the floor, twists about, and checks Gangrel hard with his shoulder; the shock and impact sends Gangrel crashing across the floor, and straight into the inn's fireplace. Chrom drops to all floors, glaring at Gangrel.
The sudden blaze of light and heat, as the fire finds Gangrel's cloth and flesh, drives Chrom back with a flinch. Something in the fire sparks a deep terror within him… And just like before, he can feel his thoughts fading, replaced with a sharp, immediate drive; fight, flee, do anything but staying still-
And most of all, don't dwell on the horror spreading across his sister's face.
-o-o-o-
It's a mad dash towards the forest after that, his breath panting in and out… And his blood still burning; he seems to run through the night, with only the faint silver of the hawk overhead to accompany him.
The magic from the Twilight Realm and from the black daggers seems to burn through his lungs… And he can only imagine what the dagger would have done, if it struck his sister-
"…A shame." Comes a human voice, one that stops Chrom short, paws scrapping through the dirt and loam. "I was dearly hoping that I'd have BOTH your sisters under my sway. Perhaps then, I'd have enough sway over you."
He shouldn't understand those words, Chrom thinks… And yet they still burrow into his brain, forcing him to spin around and snap his fangs at the air. His eyes have grown sharper as well, easily piercing the nighttime gloom… And finding a shadowy figure standing amongst the trees.
The stranger glows, a flickering orange and scarlet aura coating his shoulders like a mantle, washing over his limbs… And matching the sky of the twilight aura, from the other world. There is also a matching scarlet in the eyes of the stranger… The same violent red that bore into him before he was pulled into that world. And what he saw on the ramparts.
Now that he can see that face in detail, there's something familiar about this stranger… But he doesn't get the chance to dwell on that. Not with rage and red haze taking grip in his head. This is the same entity that yanked him through the twilight portal. And the one that plunged his own kingdom into the Realm.
A snarl tears out of him as he lunges at the figure… Only to flinch and veer back as a crackle of magic grows from the twilight aura, and strikes out at Chrom.
Overhead his keen new ears pick out a shriek, as the hawk dives as well; trying to swipe at Validar, and is rewarded with a blaze of magic. The spell singes at the rest of her flight feathers and throws her into Chrom. She's cushioned against the fur of his neck, but the impact throws them both back, tumbling along the ground until they end up tangled in the roots of a tree.
The stranger gives a sigh at that.
"And to think, I was about to give you thanks; I couldn't linger so easily in this world, without you helping to spread its influence in those… Different shapes of yours." He looks down his nose at them both. Chrom bares his fangs in response… And can't help but feel like a freak in the process. He should be wielding a sword against this stranger, or demanding answers from him-
Though the stranger seems ready enough to give them, as he observes the two.
"…Where are my manners. Even among mongrels, a man should make himself known. My name is Validar." Chrom's hackles bristle at that; faintly he can remember this man. A mage from the Plegian kingdom, with worrying reports on how he was amassing power… Until on the night of a new moon, when he suddenly vanished. Even as a wolf, the astonishment must show in his face, with how Validar laughs.
"Ah. Even as a beast, you recognize my name. I'm flattered, beastling prince. I suppose I could favor you with a few more tidbits… And help the fledgling by your side remember, and understand her role." Robin hasn't clawed her way back into the air just yet, shivering next to his side and mantling her wings.
Validar takes a step forward, towering over them both. He's already reaching out, magic crackling along his fingers-
"I don't think so." Chrom starts; that sounds almost like Lissa… As does the figure stepping in front of them both. Her skirts are stained with dirt and soot now, and there's a shiver in her stance. Nearby comes the snort and stamp of a horse, showing how Lissa found them.
'How is she still-?' He stares at her, and picks out Gangrel's silvery talisman clutched tight in her hands. Her fingers shiver around the odd bright shard. It seems to act as a ward, keeping her safe in this pocket of twilight.
"Okay, mister tall, shadowy, and creepy. I'd stop gloating if I were you, and start explaining; what did you DO to my brother!? And my kingdom!?" Lissa isn't used to giving orders; that much is clear with how her voice squeaks and cracks… And yet even as she shivers, and he smells fear and sweat coming off her, she still stands her ground.
He's amazed that Validar hasn't cut Lissa down yet… But gets his answer soon enough when he hears another crackle of footsteps through the undergrowth. A quick glance shows Sumia and Vaike waiting just beyond the twilight aura, throwing spears and axes at the ready.
This has turned into a stand off. And going by how Validar chuckles, he finds the whole thing amusing.
"Well… And the little princess delivers herself to my grasp as well. I can praise you for your valor… If not your cleverness." He takes another step forward… And then a javelin hisses through the air, embedding itself in the dirt a scant inch from Validar's foot. He gives the weapon a measuring look.
"Y-you didn't answer my question." Lissa presses.
"I suppose I owe you that… And my fledgling daughter must have some holes in her head as well, in need of filling in." Feathers bristle and rustle against him, and he knows that Robin, in whatever form she is, still understands the human language well enough; enough to let out a low, angry kreel at Validar.
He speaks over it.
"So, little Princess. You know who I am?" He taunts Lissa, forcing her to answer. He even lifts his head a little, allowing the group to get a good look at his features. Lissa catches sight of him, and lets her breath out sharp. Chrom gives a startled bark as well; because Validar has also picked up some savage, deep gouges along his face, since his portraits were painted. Ones that might easily match the claws and beak of a hawk.
"O-of course I do; Emmeryn warned me enough about you. Plegia's Vanishing Heretic-"
"King." Validar corrects her. "And as for vanishing… I was pulled into the Twilight Realm. Or I carved an opening to it." Validar said. "I'd even be bold enough to say I gave it a bit of shape, and certainly a purpose; I managed to imbue it with a hunger, for the common world. And its been a willing host, to spread all my power and will…"
He trails off, glaring at Chrom. And there's enough of a feral light in his gaze, that it makes him a match for any wolf.
"…Up to a point. But there's only so far my own magic can reach, without other sources of power." He gives a dark laugh. "Sources that have so kindly buried themselves in your brother, and my daughter. And turned them into such beasts."
Lissa takes a step back, reaching out… And to Chrom's shock, she lays a hand on his shoulder. Her fingers brush across the lighter patch of fur along his shoulder… and the silvery brand burned into the fur. Lissa clutches at it, like she's searching for reassurance. It stills the low rumble building in Chrom's throat.
"But I grow tired of this… And I'll be needing the arcane energy that lurks in both of creatures, after all." This time Validar easily strides forward… And when Sumia raises another javelin, he makes a sharp twist of his wrist. The air seems to warp around him, making the magic thicker… And spreading it out. In another moment Chrom glimpses the strange glowing haze descend over the forest.
The javelin and throwing axe both twist and rust midair, turning to red dust before they ever reach Validar.
Chrom risks a glance back, snout wrinkling as the haze spreads over Sumia and Vaike both… Turning them to strange, shadowed forms that seem almost frozen. Even Maribelle is caught up in the warp, fading as well-
Lissa gives a strangled noise at that, almost dropping the bright talisman… The only thing that's keeping her whole. Validar watches the whole thing, cold and dispassionate.
"As is the fate of all, who lack the arcane spark… Or one of the talismans, crafted from such sparks." Validar sighs out, almost pitying. "But I'm growing tired of such games. Amusing as it is to see Ylisse's prince blunder about on four limbs, acting like the animal he really is… I'd sooner yank the magic out of you both and be done with it."
-o-o-o-
Despite her brave talk, and the confidence she's tried to put forward… Robin dreads being trapped in this form. And somehow she knows that if Validar has his way, then there's no going back from this shape; not even if they step out of this ripple of a Realm and into the moral world-
Then she sees it around Validar's neck; another shard of bright, mirror like steel; brilliant and beautiful as the sun itself, banishing the night.
'Bright and black steel… Day and night-' There's magic in such things. She's certain of that much; and that thought gives her limbs a bit more strength. Her damaged wings sweep down once, stirring the soil, while her talons claw and grip against the earth. A second later they spring off of it, and she flies again at Validar, praying that her wings hold for just a few beats more.
Validar narrows his eyes at her, already preparing an incantation… But she doesn't close with him. Not like with Gangrel. Instead she veers at the last second, lashing out with claws at the bright talisman around his neck-
But Validar predicts her movement, and snaps his hand around the chords. Right as her foot closes on the thing, it gets yanked away, cutting red furrows along her talons. She wheels away, giving a pained screech. Her foot burns, her blood hums-
'Hums?' Even as she falls through the air, Robin finds her focus shifting inward, to that strange thrumming in her heart.
It feels like when the talisman cut, it left a few bolts of magic singing through her blood. And it's magic she can use; she calls it up, trying to think of the two dual talismans, wedding those strands of magic with an image of her own shape-
And her body listens and reacts. Albeit, with such pain that the cut of the talisman and daggers feels like little more than a scratch. A raptor's heart is a poor match for these spells, too small and feeble for such magic coursing through it, and she's half terrified that her body will burn out before the spell is finished. But then her wings brush soil, as she crashes into the ground. She tries to cushion the fall using her feathers… And instead, has hands touch the ground.
She has just enough time to see Validar's outraged face, and feel certain she's had that same rage and contempt leveled at her before… And then the warp of magic bursts around them like a soap bubble. And she finds herself laying on the ground, with a confused princess staring over at her.
And an equally bewildered wolf shadowing them both, instead of Chrom. That's about the time Robin realizes that her spell work still leaves a lot to be desired.
-o-o-o-
No matter how many times fur and flesh reshapes, Chrom doubts he'll get used to it. The days pass by, and the terms of Robin's sorcery quickly become clear; with the magic of the Twilight Realm seeping into their normal world, and whatever magic Validar worked on them, their forms have permanently changed, gone into flux.
'Wolf by night, and hawk by day.' Chrom thinks; he can barely catch a flicker of Robin as he opens his eyes; in one breath he sees a silver haired woman standing over him, making sure he's made it through the spell again… And in the next breath she fades out, as a hawk spreads its snowy wings and flies away.
"I'll never get used to this." Lissa echoes his thoughts, watching the changes. Chrom counts himself lucky that through everything, she's stayed by his side… And while he and Robin sometimes lack hands, she holds onto the odd shards of metal and talismans they collect.
Chrom coughs, trying to spit out the strange taste coating his mouth; he'll also never get used to the odd shadowy blood, whenever he's forced to use his fangs. Those creatures had sprung on them again, always seeming to favor either dawn or dusk to attack them. And doubtless commanded by Validar, to either capture or neutralize them.
"Well…" Lissa stands over the largest of the creatures, already dissolving into mist as she plucks up another shard from it. "That makes six apiece. Six bright and six dark shards…"
Chrom shakes his head, trying to remember how to grasp numbers… And something important behind them. Some sort of story about shards and legends…
"A… Mirror." He whispers the words out, swallowing and testing out his voice. He hates how there's always a slight trace of growl in his voice. And somedays, it feels like that growl only grows stronger and stronger.
Maybe a day will come soon, that the wolf will eclipse the man.
"A what…?" Lissa turns to him, distracting the dour thoughts.
"D-do you remember the stories Emmeryn used to tell us?" Chrom forces himself to ask, even though the memory is still like a raw wound in his head and heart. And he can see that same anguish play across Lissa's face; each time they dip into the Twilight Realm, he's half afraid he'll see Emmeryn's specter, and half hopes she's somehow still alive. Still human, even if he can't manage the same.
"I… I remember something about a mirror." Lissa says, staring down at the shards in her hands. "An… Artifact that vanished from Ylisse's treasury. One that reflects another world."
She twists the shards about, letting them catch the morning light.
"And I guess we know what happened to it."
"Do you think that shattering it… Could have opened a rift to the Twilight Realm? Like Validar suggested?" He hazards a guess, and Lissa gives a slow nod. "Then maybe… Making it whole again will mend the rift?"
"'When night meets day, and when the three pieces of spell craft are brought together.' I think that's what Emmeryn always said. I'd be willing to give it a try." Lissa murmurs. "All we need is a mage… And once the day turns again, we'll have one of those."
He glances skyward… But is saved the trouble as talons close on his shoulder. Robin has gotten better at controlling her claws, and rests lightly on his shoulder. And Chrom is fearless enough to reach up, and gently run his hand over her feathers; he's yet to have his fingers taken off for his trouble, and Robin doesn't seem to mind.
He frowns, as he takes in the damaged state of her feathers; lingering hurts from a battle a few days ago. And yet Robin's new, savage features betray nothing. No pain, nor worry… Or even much in the way of thought.
The hours of the day slip by; at once too few, to do all the things he needs to accomplish, and too many before sundown. He feels a touch ridiculous, for so desperately catching another glimpse of Robin. And Lissa seems to have keyed into that as well, given the knowing smile she keeps gives Chrom.
As the sun dips low, she gives Chrom an even more knowing smile, when he dares to venture into a town, and comes back with a shimmering dress held in his hands.
"Aw Chrom, you shouldn't have!" She teases him. "Although it's not QUITE my size."
"I-i-it's… N-n-not…" Maybe he is more of a wolf than ever now, given how his words desert him.
"Not actually for me. I know." Lissa tells him. "But out of curiosity… Are there any words you'd like me to pass on to the young lady?"
He glances overhead, to see the hawk circling and then alighting on a nearby branch.
"W-well…" Chrom forces a deep breath; trying to steady himself. Lissa's smile turns from knowing to sympathetic, and she nods to the dress. "H-how can you-?"
"I have eyes, you know." Lissa says, her voice losing a little of its teasing. "And I know that you always seem to brighten up, when the subject is Robin. We get precious little of that cheerfulness, these days."
He finds himself nodding, and that thought in turn helps him gather his words.
"I guess it's obvious that I'm… Growing a bit fond of h-her. Which I know is funny, considering how rarely we are together. But I… Remember fragments." Of seeing a skilled sorceress guarding his sister, of walking alongside him without fear even when he's a wolf. And Lissa doesn't seem opposed to his words either; a sign that Robin has earned some trust across the family.
"I… Can certainly trust her with my life. The gods know I do that every night, when I walk as a wolf. And Robin… Even with the damage she's endured, she stays with us. She stays bright a-and beau… Er, well. The point is, she gives us hope. Do you think you could… Could perhaps tell that to Robin, when the sun sets?"
"Oh, I think I could manage that much. And maybe make a quick delivery, too!" Lissa takes the dress with a laugh.
-o-o-o-
Her laugh fades away, as the sun sets. It's one thing to put on a brave face. It's quite another to realize her brother just trusted her with a near confession. Or at least as best as Chrom can manage. It makes Lissa try to focus on other things, as the daylight fades and Chrom treads away. Days and weeks later, and he still can't stand to let others see him as a beast.
So Lissa tries to respect his wishes, and focuses instead on the shards; they catch the last embers of the sunset overhead. Just as Chrom says, they resemble a mirror. The light and dark shards look like a mingling of sun and moon… And missing only one shard, Lissa realizes. So close to being complete-
She starts, as a shadow draws across the surface of the mirror. Lissa follows it up to see Robin, back in her human form.
'Okay. Come on. You can do this. And it's just your own brother trusting you to convey all his hope and emotions to a lady with his same curse. No big deal, just don't panic-!'
"May I help?" The mage asks, voice surprisingly gentle. The best Lissa can manage is a quick, nervous nod. Robin kneels down, moonlight painting her hair in a gentle glow. Her fingers are skillful, showing brief sparks of magic as she fuses the shards together… And yet she isn't completely focused on her work, as she gives Lissa a sidelong glance.
"…Is there something bothering you?" Lissa tries not to blanch at the question. "Something on your mind?"
"It's… Well it's…" Lissa takes a deep breath… And then spits out as many words as she can. "You see it's my brother! I get that he can be a bit thick sometimes. And lacking in manners. And that was BEFORE he started turning into a wolf. B-but… But despite all that, he's a good person. He has good qualities, truly and-"
"And he's been growing fond of me." Robin echoes Chrom's words, making Lissa freeze. "If Chrom has faint memories from his time as a beast, I have better recollection… Maybe to make up for my own lack of memories."
But even as she speaks… Lissa can pick out a hint of smile crossing Robin's face. It's almost a mirror for Chrom's expression, whenever he talks about Robin… And Lissa decides now is as good a time as any to all but throw the dress at Robin while blurting out.
"Yesandhesendshisregardsaswell! Andthisdress!"
Out of shock, Robin grabs the dress, holding up the fabric. The dark violet flatters her skin, Lissa thinks-
"It doesn't suit you, compared to the priestly garb you once wore." She goes cold at the new voice, and Robin freezes as well.
-o-o-o-
"Hello… Father." Robin forces herself to speak, staring at the sorcerer, even as she fears he might sunder the fabric of the world. Lissa clings to the mirror, holding it to her chest; the moonlight and flickering light shine across the surface… Save for the one gap in the mirror, the one missing piece.
The one shard that Validar wears around his neck. He switches his scornful gaze from Robin to the mirror.
"You try my patience, daughter. First you shatter the mirror, as per my orders… But instead of charging the shards with more power, to spread my influence, you make the mistake of trying to bring the mirror back together."
"I… I remember some of what you forced me to do." Robin countered, glaring at him… And bunching her hands into fists, to try and hold better onto her shape. Her memories try to spark up; of Validar holding the mirror before her, working magic and branding a symbol of power into her hand. And how the artifact couldn't hold against such power arcing between the two… Or how her own form couldn't hold, either.
Validar simply tilts his head, regarding Robin.
"I doubt your two companions would want you back, knowing what you've done. What you're responsible for." She hates the certainty in his voice… And the fact that she also can't hear or sense Chrom nearby. Perhaps he finally has gone wild… Or he understood enough, that he wanted to cut away from her. "So knowing the error of your ways, and how you strayed from our plan… Don't you wish to return?"
"R-Robin…" Lissa only manages one word. But it's enough to break Validar's diatribe. "I f-forget to tell you the rest of what my brother said; that he… Always feels a little more hope, whenever he sees you. He WANTS you to stay by his side-!"
Her words are desperate compared to Validar's… But they strike home to her heart, in a way Validar can't. It makes her brace up, looking back at Validar.
"I'd sooner end my days as a hawk." Robin tells him, tossing her dress to Lissa matching him glare for glare.
"Well… That can be arranged." Validar snarls, and there's a guttural quality to his voice that immediately sets Robin on edge. The world seems to twist again, this time warping Validar as his flesh bubbles, churns… And changes in a way that echoes her own experiences.
Only she's never turned into a great, shadowy monsters. The creature looms over her and Lissa, ready to smash them both… And after those strange ripples of magic transforming him and warping the air, she can't harness the power like she should. Can't fight back as he threatens to crush her and Lissa under claw-
But that's when she hears it. A familiar growl, one that she's heard when fighting shadowy monsters. And while it might make Lissa freeze, and even the monster above them hesitate… She's never been more glad to hear it.
She glimpses little more than a blur of steel and sky fur, and a flash of fangs… But just like that, the dark beast staggers back, bellowing in pain. The wolf keeps his fangs sunk into the flesh of the monster's neck, claws digging into the skin as the creature writhes and twists, trying to shake him loose.
But as he snarls and tangles with the monster, his jaws tear the shard free from Validar's monstrous neck. And drops it at Robin's feet.
"We're not going to have a better chance!" Robin hears herself speak, as she forces her eyes from the sight and turns her focus to the mirror. The pieces threaten to cut her hands, but still she manages to fit them together.
Wolf and monster both clash together; Chrom seems heedless with how blood soaks his fur… In part because of the wounds he's torn into Validar. Lissa gives a sob as she slams the last shard into place on the mirror. Robin lets one last bolt of magic travel through her, mending the thing together… And once again the world shifts around them.
She feels her flesh and bones all ache… But this time she welcomes the change; if she's spent her magic with fusing the mirror back together, and giving it an arcane spark, then she can still bring her talons against Validar.
She runs forward, through the pain, and gives one leap towards the fight; her feet never touch the ground, as she takes wing. Her talons stretch out… And another faint memory comes to her. Before, when Validar broke the artifact and twisted the magic, she'd caught the first waves of it. They'd changed her into a hawk… And also given her the means to lash out at Validar, leaving him clutching his bloodied face as she flew away. To eventually meet Chrom.
Now, as the wolf snarls and bites, drawing the monster's attention, she stretches her talons out one more time. They hit home, marking and clawing the other side of Validar's face. Right as the magic of the mirror takes full effect.
-o-o-o-
The sky shifts, the stars blazing bright in one side, a midday blue sky on the other… And the moon and sun seeming to meld together, thrown into alignment.
Validar turns human with a pained scream as the world shifts. The Plegian mage stands silhouetted against the black sun, which stares down at him like a giant, lidless eye… And it also catches Chrom in its gaze. And just like that, he finds that he can stand upright, shedding his wilder form. With a flash of silver, Robin arrows down from the sky and coming to a rest beside him.
He reaches his hand out, ready to give her a perch… But instead she spreads her talons out towards the ground, landing in a flurry of bright feathers that tangle the eye… And the next moment, something grasps him by the fingers. Something that isn't tipped with talons. He desperately grips back at Robin's hand, forgetting Validar for an instant.
"Y-you're here…" And human. He's desperately wanted to see her face again, after so long apart. And she gives him a similar, desperate look; like there's so much she wants to say in that moment… But Validar doesn't permit it. Not with how he raises his hand up, shouting blasphemous curses and incantations. Robin snaps her eyes back to Validar, scowling; clouds seem to well up in the sky, trying to blot out the sun… But the light is too strong, glaring through Validar's attempts-
Robin gives a soft incantation as well, more gentle… And yet, it seems that magic listens to her. And the light streaming down off the eclipsed sun turns bright, into bladed beams like arrows and swords. All of them lashing down at Validar. He's buried under the onslaught, the brilliance searing his form away.
Until at last the sky clears, and the sun returns to its rightful place… And through it all, Robin's hand remains in his.
He stares at her, gratefully squeezing at her hand… And beyond her, he can also see familiar figures, emerging dazed from the wilderness; there's Sumia and Vaike, Maribelle… And even Emmeryn. Lissa gives a delighted and squeak at that, even as the restored ruler stares at Robin and at Chrom, bewildered.
"Chrom… I… I'm certain that I sent you out on a quest, to-"
"To discover the strange ripples of magic." Chrom says, grateful that his voice no longer carries a wild edge. "Well… I can safely report back." He tightens his hand around Robin's bringing her forward. "And perhaps introduce you to a fine lady, and former hawk."