Chrom and Gaius had been passing the time in their cell, pacing around and occasionally making small talk, when Mustafa and Old Hubba came up to them in a hurry. Mustafa was somewhat bloodied, and both men looked very alarmed. Mustafa began unlocking the cell door, and Chrom and Gaius shot up and approached in confusion. "What's happening?!" Chrom demanded. "What is this?!" Chrom and Gaius were worried ever since Old Hubba told them about executions, and they backed away as Mustafa entered their cell. He didn't get any closer to them, and he made it clear he wasn't there to hurt them.

"There's a rebellion outside! About a third of our soldiers have gone mad! They're lashing out at everyone else. My own recruits turned on me! Ganged up on me and tried to kill me in any way they could. This is happening all over the fort!"

Chrom and Gaius looked to each other in confusion. Gaius callously snickered, but Chrom stepped closer to Mustafa. "The fort has gone mad? Is this some kind of jest?"

"Does it look like I'm lying?!" Chrom looked Mustafa up and down. His injuries were actually more severe than Chrom first thought. Mustafa was just tough enough to ignore them. He was covered in cuts and gashes, and a lesser man likely would have fallen by then. Chrom didn't think Mustafa was lying, but that didn't mean he trusted him.

"Why are you freeing us?" He asked in a wary tone.

"Because the rebels are attacking everything in sight! I have little doubt that they'd murder you in your cell if they found you here. I won't let defenseless prisoners be killed."

Gaius shook his head. "This is some kind of trick. You're just trying to move us again."

"These rebels are not acting rationally! You think they carefully select their targets?! You think they won't kill you?! Come then! See this rebellion for yourselves." Mustafa stepped aside and left the door open for the two.

"We're not going anywhere with you!" Gaius shouted. "Arch Surg officers have lied about problems before to lure us into traps!"

Old Hubba stepped out from behind Mustafa. "Would you rather stay in this cell forever? From what you know of Pheros, Farber, and the Justicar, do you think they'd ever free you like this? Do you think we're working for them? We're trying to help you!"

Mustafa looked at them sympathetically. "I am a man of honor, Chrom. I trusted you to spare my men once, and that trust was well placed. I'm asking you to trust me now."

Chrom didn't believe that Mustafa was following orders from Pheros, Farber, or Keith, but that didn't mean he trusted him. Even if Mustafa didn't intend to hurt him and Gaius, he still had ruthless superiors. More than thirty years ago, Mustafa had asked Chrom and his Shepherds to surrender. Though Mustafa had offered him mercy, and even revealed that Emmeryn's sacrifice had made him lose faith in the war, Chrom refused this offer not just because he wanted vengeance against Gangrel, but because he didn't trust Gangrel to treat them fairly. The same situation was true here. Even if Mustafa didn't want to hurt them, the other Arch Surg officers couldn't be trusted to treat them well. On the other hand, he had nothing to gain from staying in the cell. "I don't know."

"I ask only that you come with us, so that you may see the destruction of this rebellion. Once you see that, you will know how important it is for you to escape as quickly as possible. However, I will not force you to do anything."

Chrom looked back to Gaius, and he responded with a simple shrug. He clearly didn't trust Mustafa either, but a part of him was eager to leave the cell. Chrom slowly turned to Mustafa and nodded. "Alright, we'll go with you. But I want to be armed."

"I'm afraid the rebels have cut us off from the armory. That's where the Justicar is keeping your weapons. We cannot break through them now."

"We're not trusting you if we can't be armed."

"Hold on!" Old Hubba interrupted. "We have another weapon that can help you."

Mustafa and Old Hubba hadn't been lying. The Fort was being torn apart by a civil war between Arch Surg forces. On one side were the loyal soldiers who were mainly trying to hold their positions, and on the other side were the rebel soldiers trying to drive them out. Though they seemed to share a camaraderie of sorts, the rebelling soldiers lashed out at everything else. They gave no quarter to the Arch Surg forces they overran. They killed everyone in sight, even men and women who threw themselves to the ground and begged for mercy. They killed quickly and brutally, often preferring to hack people apart with whatever weapons they could get. The only reminder that they were even human was their preference for forming packs, and they could somehow tell each other apart from loyal Arch Surg soldiers. Groups of them joined together and formed larger mobs whenever they encountered each other, but they ruthlessly executed any loyal Arch Surg soldier that tried to switch sides. Chrom and Gaius were not spared their wrath, even though they had nothing to do with the Arch Surg, but Mustafa defended them. Chrom hadn't trusted Mustafa after being released from the cell, but watching him fight in his own defense even in spite of his many injuries made him realize that Mustafa truly wanted them to escape. Thankfully the group was only occasionally attacked, as the rebels were more interested in hitting fortified positions. They were quick to take heavy weapons and armor from Arch Surg forces, and they also focused on destroying buildings throughout the fort whenever they had the chance.

The group eventually managed to occasionally fight, but mostly sneak their way through the chaos, and Mustafa and Old Hubba lead Chrom and Gaius to a small warehouse at the fort's eastern edge. Mustafa quickly shut the door behind them as they entered and locked it, even though this left them with little light inside the building. Old Hubba ignited a lantern and used it to light several torches, allowing Chrom and Gaius to see what the warehouse was holding. In the center of the building was a massive metal and wooden contraption, about half the size of a hut. It had a large cannon protruding from the front, and massive wooden wheels along the side. Metal plating protected the front of the construction, and it didn't seem like it was designed to be pulled by animals. Chrom and Gaius stared at the machine in awe. "What is that thing?" Chrom eventually managed to ask.

Mustafa turned to the two. "Have you ever heard of the fairy tales about the mythical kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr?"

"Of course."

"Ballisticians were used two thousand years ago in the Hero King's time, but back then they were largely catapults. The versions that appear in the legends of Hoshido and Nohr had gunpowder weapons built into them, and they could move on land like ships move in the sea. Farber became obsessed with them. He wanted to see if that kind of ballistician could be built in real life. This is the prototype."

"So this thing is like a mobile cannon? Does it work?"

"Yes. Fundamentally it's a big metal and wooden contraption with an even bigger gun that can move by itself. It's a secret project now, and I only know about it because I helped Farber with the field tests. Even Cervantes and Pheros are likely unaware of its existence. It's never been used against actual soldiers, but I think it's your best bet for surviving this."

"You've got to be kidding me." Chrom said blankly without looking away from the horrifying machine. Old Hubba hobbled over to Chrom and Gaius and smiled.

"Normally the Divine Dragons work in mysterious ways, but not today! That right there is a couple tons of dee-vine intervention! Naga's very own anti son of a harlot machine. That cannon fires high explosive cast iron shells that explode on contact, allowing you to take out multiple soldiers with a single shot. Bullets, arrows, and spells bounce right off the metal and wooden plating. You two are going to hop in that tank and roll over anyone dumb enough to get in your way. If Naga is love, then you're a bona fide aphrodisiac. Nothing will curb your holy blooded style."

"How does that thing even work?!"

"It only takes one person to drive it and fire the gun, but the cannon has a loading mechanism that works best with a second person." Mustafa replied.

Chrom shook his head. "I didn't think war could get any more destructive."

Gaius turned to him. "This thing could be our best bet for getting out of here alive. We can't fight all the soldiers outside on our own. If you don't want to drive, then I will." Gaius climbed on top of the weapon and opened the hatch. "Get in."

Chrom turned back to Mustafa and Old Hubba. "What about you two?"

"We'll follow behind you. We can't exactly help you fight against so many soldiers, but the ballistician should be more than enough. I promise we'll help you find your friends." Mustafa walked closer to Chrom and handed him a small object. "That is a sighting lens. It'll make aiming the gun much easier. Give it to your companion."

Chrom nodded and took the item. He climbed into the ballistician after Gaius and sat himself in the top seat. In front of him seemed to be the loading mechanism for the cannon. Gaius sat below him and began to fiddle with the controls. The machine roared to life, sputtering and vibrating. Gaius gave a wide smile. "Oh this is going to be fun."

Outside, many of the Arch Surg forces had rallied around Pheros, and she noticed Chrom and Gaius trying to escape even through the chaotic fighting. She gathered dozens of soldiers and moved to surround the warehouse they took shelter in. Chrom and Gaius were still figuring out the controls to the ballistician when her voice could be heard booming through the walls. "Chrom! We have you surrounded! If you know what's good for you, you'll come with us! Archangel will have you!"

"Aw man." Gaius said as he practiced moving the ballistician back and forth. "I need more time. How am I even supposed to aim the gun out of this tiny window?" Chrom handed him the sighting lens, and he realized that it fit above the controls. He could see outside more easily now. "Alright! Now how do I fire the gun?"

"That's it!" Pheros yelled to the warehouse. "You have until the count of ten! Ten… nine… eight… 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 okay move in soldiers!"

Pheros' forces paused and looked at each other nervously. One man looked up to Pheros. "You want us to go in there?!"

"Yes! Drag him out!"

"Err, I don't know. I mean those are Shepherds in there! They're really powerful! Gaius will shoot me, and Chrom will cut off my arms and use them as maracas!"

"Just get in there!"

"Let me ask you something. When normal guys like us go after heroes like Chrom, do we ever come out on top?"

"Don't put yourself down. You can fight him. You're a valued member of our army."

"Oh yeah? What's my name?"

"Uh… Smith...er...son...ton?"

"Smithersonton died two months ago!"

"Just go!"

"A good leader leads by example. Why don't you go in there first. We'll look to see where you die, and then we'll know where not to be."

"That's an order!"

Pheros' argument with her soldiers was interrupted by a thundering blast. The door leading to the warehouse exploded, raining shrapnel down on the group. They looked back up to find the ballistician staring directly at them, and Mustafa and Old Hubba quickly moved to be behind it. "Oh." Gaius muttered. "That's how."

Pheros was more curious than afraid. As Mustafa had predicted, she didn't know what the weapon was, but by chance one of her soldiers had once helped Farber with a field test. He knew exactly what was facing him. "They've got the ballistician! Every man for himself!"

The man broke rank and fled. "Get back here, soldier!" Pheros barked.

"I'm a cowardly fool!"

Gaius fiddled with the controls, but the gun wouldn't fire a second time. "Chrom? Didn't Mustafa say the loading mechanism was with you? Load me another shell!"

"S-sure." Chrom was quite horrified by what the ballistician had done to the door. Angry as he was with the Arch Surg, he had no desire to see the weapon used against people. Gaius was right though. This was the only way out, and it could be the only way to save the girls. He thought about them as he fiddled with the few controls on his seat, rather than the destruction he was about to unleash. Eventually he managed to open up a loading mechanism, and he took a shell from next to his seat and inserted it. He pulled on a lever, and mechanical noises could be heard as the shell was presumably loaded into the cannon. Another shell popped up by his seat, waiting for its turn to be inserted into the cannon, and Chrom shivered as he realized just how much destruction the weapon was capable of. "Okay! It's ready!"

Gaius smiled as he brought the cannon down on Pheros, who still wasn't quite sure what she was looking at. He brought his face to the viewing port and yelled out of it. "Hey! Crazy lady! Knock knock!" He fired the gun, and an explosion erupted from the ground near the soldiers. Two unfortunate ones were blown apart, their bodies unable to handle the amount of energy and force suddenly acting on them. Many others were visibly injured by shrapnel, and the rest were blown backwards by the sheer force. Pheros' horse reared up and fell on its side, and Pheros was stuck under it. Chrom almost wanted to throw up, but Gaius was laughing. "Like candy from a babe!"

"Gaius! How can you be okay with this devastation?!"

"You're kidding right? This thing is awesome! Load me another shell! Load me another shell!" Gaius responded in an eager tone. Chrom reluctantly loaded another shell into the mechanism, and Gaius brought the ballistician around to face another group of soldiers. He fired, and once more an explosion tore the group apart. "Oh! Cut down in the prime of existence!"

"You don't have to enjoy it so much!"

"I'm not going to lie to you! I'm kind of drunk on power with this thing right now!"

Chrom wasn't sure he wanted to load more shells, but he reminded himself that they were doing this to free themselves and the girls. Chrom also remembered that Tiki had been taken somewhere else, and this weapon was the only way they could get deeper into the fort. He loaded another shell, and Gaius spun the ballistician around to look for more targets. He laughed as soldiers scattered in all directions, and the few who fired on the ballistician found that their projectiles were deflected off the plating. "Oh baby! This thing is a river of chocolate in an ocean of cream! For once the good crap is on our side, Chrom, and I'm sure as hell going to enjoy it. Come get some you Arch Surg fops! We didn't get some of you thirty years ago, but I'm willing to try again!"

Mustafa and Old Hubba waited for most of Pheros' soldiers to scatter before leaving the warehouse. Mustafa drew his axe and approached Pheros. She had used her healing staff to treat most of her injuries, but she was still pinned under her deceased horse. For an instant her eyes lit up with hope when she noticed Mustafa approaching, but she quickly realized what he had done. She gave a faint smile and laughed in a defiant manner. "Are you expecting me to beg for assistance?"

"The tide has turned against you, Pheros. You can no longer bully and oppress innocent people. No longer will you abuse the power the people have given us to dominate those in your way. I suggest surrendering."

"Oh I'm quite prepared to fight to my last breath." Pheros said sarcastically. "This is but a minor injury. Have at thee."

Mustafa shook his head and lowered his axe. He knelt down. "I can help you, but only if you work with me."

"Why did you do it?" Pheros asked bitterly, ignoring his offer. "You said you believed in the necessity of our cause. Why turn on us?"

"I am a man of honor, Pheros. There is no lie in our cause. There must be a unified army to oppose the Grimleal. This is the only way to free humanity from its oppression." Mustafa looked her dead in the eye. "But that does not justify the cruelty we have unleashed on this land. The Justicar slays anyone who doesn't pledge allegiance to us when he takes a settlement. We bully and mistreat our prisoners, even when they've done nothing wrong. We allow dark mages to use curses that brainwash people into serving. That's why this revolt is taking place isn't it?! A curse was controlling these soldiers, and now it's worn off. That's why they're attacking isn't it?!" Mustafa didn't actually know what was making the soldiers rebel, but he knew enough about dark magic to guess. Pheros was fully aware of Henry's curse, and Mustafa could tell from her expression that his theory was correct. "We have no right to be like this."

Pheros smiled and slowly shook her head. "Look at me, Mustafa. I am just a merchant's daughter, and then a priestess, that had never held a weapon in her life before Walhart. Now I am a soldier. An officer. That is the strength of a cause. I believe in something greater than myself, and that has forged me into such a strong woman. You are abandoning humanity's one chance for freedom, and you're doing it for selfish reasons."

"There is no selfishness in honor. Fighting against the Grimleal doesn't give us the right to treat people this way!"

"Chrom has gotten to you hasn't he?"

"Why do you hate him so much, Pheros?"

Pheros briefly became angered, and she struggled against the horse. It wouldn't budge, so she calmed herself and lied back down. "He destroyed Walhart's Empire. His dream of a unified humanity. Of a world free from the tyranny of gods. I will never forgive him for it."

Mustafa extended his arm, hoping Pheros would take it as her arms were still free. "You don't have to be so consumed by hatred. Let go. The Justicar is always talking about building a better future. Maybe it's time to let go of the past."

Pheros didn't look at Mustafa. "Maybe."

"I can help you, but only if you help us. Come with me. You will order any Arch Surg soldiers that try to stop us to stand down, and we will treat you as a prisoner of war, but you'll be alive. You'll die if you stay here."

Pheros just laughed again. "You don't get it do you, Plegian? I believe in the Archanean Liberation Front. I have dedicated my life to it. I would never do anything to compromise it. I'm ready to die. Are you?"

Mustafa looked at Pheros with pity. She truly believed in her cause. For all the cruelty she was capable of, she didn't do it with malice in her heart. Mustafa thought about helping her anyways, but he was sure she'd try to stop him if freed. "Goodbye, Pheros." Mustafa walked away, and Old Hubba hurried after him. Pheros looked up to the sky.

"I will soon be with Walhart again. I'm sorry I couldn't save your dream, Emperor. At least I fought for the future."

Old Hubba caught up to Mustafa as he walked after the ballistician, taking advantage of the path it cleared. "Uh, are you sure we should have left her alive? She is still dangerous."

"It would be dishonorable to kill a helpless foe like that."

"Your stupid sense of honor is going to get us killed."

"My stupid sense of honor is the only reason why I'm doing this. Pheros isn't wrong. The Archanean Liberation Front could be our only hope for defeating the Grimleal. I see no other alternative. But I can't fight with an army that would commit such evils. Never again."

Henry and the girls made their way to Fort Morgan's armory after escaping. They hoped to get their armor and weapons before freeing Chrom and Gaius, and then leave the fort before the indoctrinated Arch Surg soldiers revolted. Henry hadn't realized how quickly the soldiers would actually rebel, and the group had just managed to retrieve their possessions before being caught up in the resulting war zone. The fighting forced them back to the fort's walls, and they'd been struggling to hold their ground ever since.

Ophelia had been separated from Soleil and Caeldori by the fighting, but she'd slowly managed to work her way back to their position. She could see the two in the distance, furiously holding their ground, but a loyal Arch Surg soldier armed with a short sword and an arm mounted shield was blocking her. Ophelia wasn't the least bit worried though. Having her Missiletainn tome again filled her with confidence. She also had both of the Falchions slung across her back, alongside Gaius' arquebus and the pistol Keith gave to Chrom. All the weapons weighed her down, but they also filled her with resolve. If anything she was giddy. She readied her tome with one hand and pointed her finger at the man with the other. She also set her legs at shoulder length apart and arched her back. "Hail, villain! You face Ophelia Dusk! Hero of light and shadow. What name embodies your depravity?!"

The soldier was a little confused, but he stood ready for battle. "Err… Jeff. My name's Jeff."

"Jeff! A stinging pain envelops me as this name assaults my ears! Truly you are a servant of vile darkness, but I am a champion of darkness! Come now, and face my arcane power as cursed blood, blood of heroes, flows through me! Burning me! Filling me with great and terrible strength. My blood! Oh, my blood! It aches for glorious COMBAT! Come Jeff! Dance with me a song of conquest and fate!"

Jeff the Arch Surg loyalist stared blankly at Ophelia. "Um… have you been in a fight before, lady?"

"Behold my divine strike of the holy blood! Hear me, ancestors! My power is radiated through the fabric of creation, and now I will-"

Jeff lunged forward and bashed Ophelia in the head with his shield. She managed to blast him backwards with a quick attack from her tome before he could stab her, but the attack was done in panic, and he was able to avoid most of it. He lunged forward again and struck Ophelia in the face with the butt of his sword. Ophelia was too disoriented to attack again, and the soldier surely would have killed her then and there had a lightning bolt not torn through his abdomen. So powerful was the magical attack that the electricity didn't even arc into the man. Instead the lightning bolt ripped through him, burning out of his body like a plasma. The man died instantly, and Ophelia furiously scurried backwards to escape the stench of burned flesh and hair that immediately followed. She tripped as she tried to rise to her feet, and then looked up to see an arm outstretched to help her up. "Grandfather?"

"Heyo there, Ophelia! You looked like you needed help."

Ophelia only felt fear at the sight of him, and she didn't take his hand. "T-thank you, grandfather. But… do you have to be so brutal?"

"Oh come on? What did I do wrong? I could've made his throat explode, but I knew you'd complain about getting blood on you."

"It's just… the way you killed that man. It… it doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel right that someone could have that power."

Henry withdrew his hand and thought about Ophelia's words. "Ophelia… you know I love you right?"

"Y-you do? W-we don't really know each other well."

"But you're family! I thought I was alone for so long, but now my granddaughter and brother in law show up! I want to help you, and I want you to realize your potential."

"My… potential?"

"You call yourself a mage, but a mage does not fear magic. Of any kind. A mage is always looking for new opportunities to learn. To increase their power. The lesser men fear what they do not understand, but us? We study it! Master it!" Henry knelt by Ophelia. "I know you're afraid of me. I'm sorry. My whole life people have been afraid of me. I just don't understand when other people are suffering, or when I've done something wrong, and my whole life I've been rewarded for killing. That's the strength of magic, Ophelia. Compare me to Chrom. Big hero, descended from a long line of big heroes. He inherited his place in the world, and everyone has had such high expectations of him since the day he was born. He was the leader of the Shepherds. He was the champion of humanity. He was going to bring peace to the world. Now look at me. My parents threw me away like a sack of garbage. I had nothing, but I became who I am through magic. Now I could kill him with the snap of my fingers. Now he's a dying old man, and I have only grown stronger." Henry glanced up and saw Soleil and Caeldori a few meters away. They were both locked in combat with Arch Surg soldiers. Henry just smiled and turned back to his granddaughter. "Now look at those two. So determined. So strong. But they won't be in their prime forever. Strength is fleeting, and they'll only get weaker. I've got years on them, and they're nothing compared to me. You could be like that, Ophelia. Magic, the ability to bend the fabric of reality to your will, that is power. You may stand by their side, but they are not your equals. You have the potential to be so much more. Don't fear dark magic, Ophelia. I know you're afraid of me, but dark magic didn't make me this way. Dark magic gave me the opportunity to be more than what I was, and it can give you the opportunity to be the hero you want to be. Chrom can help you, but don't look to him as what you could be. You have the potential to be so much more." Henry reached out his hand again. "I just want to help you."

Ophelia didn't know what to think. She just nervously took Henry's hand and he helped her up. Ophelia saw her friends in the distance, and to her horror Henry just stood there staring at them. "Grandfather…" Ophelia wanted to yell at Henry for his inaction, but she felt more nervous than anything around him. She could barely even speak to him. "C-can you help them?!"

"Are you sure? You don't seem to like it when I kill people in front of you."

"Grandfather!"

Henry shrugged. "If that's what you want."

Soleil and Caeldori were struggling against the two Arch Surg soldiers they had been engaging. Caeldori eventually exploited an opening in the man's defense and brought him down with a strike to the chest, but Soleil was still unable to overcome her foe. "Argh! This one's for all the babes I'm not hitting up because I'm stuck here fighting you jackholes!" Soleil put all her strength into a sword slash, but the man caught it with his shield and forced himself closer to Soleil. He brought her to her knees with a shield bash to the head, and she was only saved by Caeldori driving her lance into the man. Caeldori helped Soleil to her feet, but the two looked up to see more soldiers approaching, and they were surrounded on all sides. They readied their weapons and stood back to back. "C-Caeldy? I… I don't-"

"We'll be fine, Soleil."

"If we don't… if we don't make it-"

"Caeldori just tightened her prosthetic's grip on her lance and readied herself. "Soleil." She said in a commanding tone.

"Right, let's just… let's just get ready." The two raised their weapons and prepared to move at a moment's notice, only to see a lightning bolt strike one of the men. This time the electricity arced into all the soldiers, burning them to death before they even hit the ground. Soleil and Caeldori stood motionless, not entirely sure of what just happened. "Caeldy… did you just see that?!"

"Quit calling me Caeldy… and yes."

The two turned to see Henry walking towards them, electricity still cracking off his arm. Ophelia ran up by him, and the two were relieved at the sight of her. "I'm so glad you're all okay!"

"No thanks to grandpa Grimleal over here!" Soleil said as she stepped closer to Henry. "You said we'd have more time!"

"He doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the Grimleal! Dark magic is a perfectly natural thing!" Ophelia said, jumping to his defense.

"Sorry guys." Henry said innocently. "Do you still want to look for Chrom and Gaius, or can we just ditch them?"

"Of course we still need to find them, grandfather!"

"Hey I'm just asking!"

Ophelia shook her head and quickly glanced around. She expected more reinforcements to appear, but all the Arch Surg soldiers she could see were running deeper into the fort. Soleil smiled again at the sight of it and rested on her sword. "Ha! That's right you cowards! Run!"

Caeldori looked warily towards the base of the wall. "Soleil… I don't think they're running because of us." She pointed towards the ground, and the four looked on in fear as a massive metal and wooden thing lumbered towards them. No one, not even Henry, was sure what it was, but they recognized the cannon pointed towards them. They nervously backed away from the wall's edge and raised their weapons, if only to make themselves feel better, as the contraption moved forward. It finally stopped just at the base of the wall, and the hatch opened. A man with fading blue hair stuck his head out, and he smiled at the sight of everyone. "Chrom!" Caeldori exclaimed.

"Caeldori!"

Soleil walked forward. "What is that thing?"

"Hell if I know, but we're using it to escape." Chrom exited the ballistician, and Gaius also climbed out of it a few seconds later. He made his way up one of the wall's towers, reappeared on the wall itself, and greeted the group by hugging Ophelia. Chrom didn't feel it was appropriate to do the same with Caeldori and Soleil, but he was just as excited to see them. His eyes met with Caeldori's, and her stoic look melted away as a heartfelt smile took her. Chrom smiled back, but it faded a little as his eyes locked with Soleil's. Chrom wasn't sure where he stood with Soleil. The last time the two had a real conversation together was when Cordelia had urged the girls to tell Chrom how they felt after they learned the truth of what happened thirty years ago. Soleil took the opportunity to lay into Chrom and Cordelia, and the two had only been together in the presence of others since then. Chrom was still relieved to see her, and he could tell that Soleil felt the same way, but there was a stinging awkwardness to the moment. Chrom smiled sheepishly before turning to Henry, and an even stranger feeling enveloped him then. Just as with Gaius and Cordelia, Chrom felt guilt at the sight of him, but he was also relieved to see him safe. It also dawned on him that Henry must have been helping the girls escape, and that made him even happier to see him. As little as they had interacted thirty years ago, Chrom felt an urge to hug him too. "I'm so glad you're all safe!"

"Hey! We were just talking about you!" Henry said eagerly. "What is that thing? Some kind of weapon?"

"It's something Farber built. I don't really know much about it, but it's basically a moving, armored gun."

"And damn if it isn't fun!" Gaius said cheerfully as he followed Chrom up the wall. "Junior! Third gens! Look at that! We don't have to save you ourselves!"

"But we do need to get Tiki. She isn't here." Caeldori replied. "She wasn't anywhere in the prison cells."

"Of course not." Henry said as he looked over to the fort's citadel. "They kept her in her own cell. It's a mobile cell. Designed to be moved."

Chrom was reminded that Henry was an officer with the Arch Surg. "Henry… do you know what they want with Tiki?"

"Yeah. The Grimleal have a bounty on her head, so the Justicar wanted to collect on the money."

Chrom froze. "They'll… sell her?! To the Grimleal?!"

"Through proxies of course. Also they aren't going to sell her. They've already sold her."

"WHAT?!"

"They moved her cage awhile ago. Sorry, Chrom. There was nothing I could do. I thought about trying to stop it." Henry looked at Ophelia. "But I was afraid you'd be hurt."

"Damn it, Henry!" Gaius barked. "Why didn't you tell us before?!"

"You didn't ask. Besides I wasn't supposed to tell you that kind of stuff."

"You're helping us now!"

"But I didn't know if I would at the time. I liked my job."

Chrom didn't say anything more. He just fell to his knees and stared off into space for almost a minute. He didn't speak again until Ophelia started shaking him. "She's gone. I… I failed her."

"Chrom please."

"NOO!" Chrom ran his hands through his hair and seemed to pull at it. "How many more of them am I going to fail?!"

"Please don't!" Ophelia knelt in front of her great uncle and looked him in the eye. "Please stop! I know it's horrible, but we need you now!"

"Gods, Ophelia." Chrom's voice was shaky, and only his rage kept him from breaking down in tears. "I'm not fit to lead you. I keep failing people who depend on me!"

"It's not your fault we're here, but we need you to escape now!" Ophelia drew one of the Falchions she had sheathed on her back, and she presented it to Chrom. "Please. We've been through this before. I know it hurts to see your old allies gone, but we need you now! Don't do this now! We are not getting out of here without you!"

Chrom looked up and saw his reflection in the Falchion. He saw it twisted with rage and sorrow. The emotions bearing down on him were crippling, and he hated himself at that moment. At first he had tried to turn away from Ophelia and the others before they got close to him. Now he wanted nothing more than to protect them, but he didn't think he could. He felt nothing but weakness in that moment, and his mind involuntarily flashed back to another point in his life.

Chrom wasn't a man anymore. He was a small child, four years old. In a few more months he would be five and his father would die suddenly, leaving Emmeryn as Exalt. Chrom didn't know that yet. All he knew now was that his father never visited him much. He was almost always away, fighting in Plegia. The nobles were always talking about the war, and Chrom even heard his Nan talking about it sometimes. Chrom was too young to care much for the war. He only cared that his father was almost never there anymore.

But he had returned. Chrom looked up to see his face. Caracalla was an intimidating man, especially when wearing his full armor. The Exalt wore gold plate armor with blue trimmings. Ornate as it was, it was fully practical. A stark white cape flowed outwards from behind, and the Mark of Naga was emblazoned on the back of it. Caracalla himself greatly resembled Chrom as an older man, but he had harsher features and a number of battle wounds on his skin. He also had a blue beard, thick and running along the bottom of his face, but without any neck hair or mustache. However the brand of the Exalt could still be seen on his right cheek. He was handsome but intimidating. Heroic yet commanding. Chrom himself was similarly conflicted at the sight of him. His father was strict and could be very abusive, but Chrom was still a little boy. He loved his father just for being his father, no matter how he acted. Caracalla set his blue eyes down on his son, and Chrom smiled at the attention. He walked over to his father, fully intending to embrace him, but Caracalla didn't kneel down. Instead he drew his Falchion, symbol of Ylisse and a weapon that the Exalt used frequently in combat, and lowered the blade to the ground. Chrom stopped in front of the blade, staring at his own reflection. He looked back up to his father, unsure of what to think. "F-father?"

"Do you know what this is, boy?" Caracalla spat in a stern voice. Chrom's joy at the sight of his usually absent father was rapidly fading.

"Y-your sword?"

"What is its name?"

"Falchion." Chrom looked back to the sword. "That's the Falchion."

"Yes. Symbol of the Exalt. Passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years. I inherited this blade from your grandfather, Heraclius. Do you know who will get it when I am no longer Exalt?"

"E-Emmeryn?"

"She is supposed to inherit it from me. She is supposed to take it, as her ancestors have taken it for thousands of years." Caracalla stepped forward. "But she doesn't want it. Even now as she is just years away from legal adulthood, she still refuses it as she did when she was a young girl. She truly does not want anything to do with my legacy."

"Why not, father?" Chrom already knew the answer. Emmeryn had talked to him before about how much she disagreed with her father's policies. Chrom was too young to really have an opinion. He just agreed with his father when talking to him, and he agreed with Emmeryn when talking to her. He only cared about spending time with his family members. Even now he only asked the question to be closer to his father, as he wanted to be part of the conversation. To show he cared about what his father cared about.

"She believes that pacifism should be the future of our people. She believes we should discard our militaristic ways. She refuses to take this blade, her birthright, because she sees it as a symbol of violence."

As a young man, Chrom would disagree with this. He believed that a country should be able to defend itself, and he formed the Shepherds because of this. Now though, as a four year old, Chrom disagreed simply to be closer to his father. "I don't think that's right. We should be able to fight bad guys!"

Caracalla gave a faint smile. "Indeed. If only your sister knew what evil Plegia hides. What abominations are about to be released."

"W-what?"

"I can't tell you that, boy. You're just too young. You'll know one day."

Chrom was beginning to wonder what the conversation was about, and he nervously glanced around. "So… if Emmeryn won't get the sword… who will?"

"In the past, you told me you might be interested in it. I see now that my daughter truly wants nothing to do with it, and there's no point forcing it on her. For generations the Exalt has wielded the Falchion, but this sword is meant to protect Ylisse. It's meant to be used by a warrior who will defend our people. There's no point giving it to her." Caracalla knelt down, and he carefully laid the Falchion down so that the handle was pointed towards Chrom. "So now I'm asking you to make that decision. Do you want to take up this blade?"

Chrom had told his father he wanted to take up the Falchion before, but he did it for childish reasons. He thought it looked cool, and he could tell it was what his father really wanted. Now though, he realized how significant this choice was. He reached out and took the sword, but it was for too heavy for him to move it. "I can't lift it, father!"

Caracalla gave a brief chuckle, and he gently ran his finger along the blade as Chrom held it. "No you're far too young to use it now, but the blade is sharp in your hands. You are worthy of this blade. As worthy as the Hero King or the First Exalt. As worthy as Emmeryn. As worthy as I."

"When would you give it up? What will you use?"

"I will still use this sword, boy. I am still Exalt. I will give it up one day though. It may seem like a long time from now to you, but you will be a man soon. You will wield this blade, and I will have you start training with it as soon as possible." Caracalla took the Falchion and held it up again. "If you choose to take it."

Chrom's mind wandered, and he thought about his mother. In a few months his younger sister Lissa would be born. Chrom still wasn't sure how he felt about having a younger sibling. "What will happen if I say no?"

"I'll offer it to your younger sibling when your weak mother finally gives birth, assuming they survive."

Chrom paid little mind to that comment at the time. It was common for his mother and father to put each other down. As an adult Chrom would be saddened at these memories, but his younger self just thought it was normal. "What if they don't want it?"

"Then a tradition dies." Caracalla eyed his son. "Do you not want it?"

"I… don't know."

"You're uncertain?"

Chrom knew what his father wanted, but he understood that he was making a very significant decision. He tried to articulate his feelings as best as he could considering his youth. "It's just… I'm not sure that I can do it. It seems like a big responsibility."

"Station and salvation both command a heavy price, boy."

"W-what?"

Caracalla sighed and thought about how to emphasize with his son. "You don't think you can handle it?"

"I'm not sure, father." Chrom looked down. "I'm sorry."

Caracalla looked down himself. "I know what you're going through, Chrom."

"Father?"

"Did you know I wasn't supposed to be Exalt? I was the third child born to your grandparents, Exalt Heraclius and Queen Alexian. The first born was supposed to be Exalt, and I lived a carefree life. I thought only of trivial desires. Food. Adventure. Women. Wealth. I never expected to inherit the throne, and I didn't think that I could be Exalt. I didn't want it."

Chrom looked up in wonder. "But… I don't have any aunts or uncles."

"No. Not anymore." Caracalla's stern face briefly broke as the memories came back to him. "I was twelve. My father had taken us on a trip to Plegia to negotiate with the Plegian King. We were returning from the negotiations and… and my siblings and I wanted to see the countryside. To go sightseeing. For fun. My father… he finally relented. The majority of the guards went with the minor nobles back to Ylisse. My family and just a handful of soldiers stayed, and we travelled the countryside for several days." Chrom's father knelt down and he looked to his son at almost eye level. "Plegian bandits attacked us. Overwhelmed our guards. My father was more than capable of defending himself, and my mother and I stayed close to him. I don't even remember what happened to my brothers and sisters as the attack began. I was scared. I just ran to my father and pressed my face to his leg." Caracalla gave a grim chuckle. "He had to kick me away several times to fight. Eventually my father made his way back to our carriage. My mother and I got in, and we sped off. My parents thought my siblings were inside, and I didn't even look. I just buried my face in my hands and cried. We were already some distance away before… before we realized they'd been left behind."

"What… what happened, father?"

"The bandits thought we were minor nobles, and they probably planned to ransom us back to Ylisse. When they realized who we were, the full severity of what they'd done, they panicked. A month later my father's men found my siblings. They'd been murdered, and their bodies had been left to rot in the sun."

"No!"

Caracalla gave his son a dour look. "From then on my mother and father controlled everything in my life. They were hard on me. They were strict and unforgiving, and they brutalized me if I ever failed them. I grew to hate them. Part of me still hates them… but they were right. I needed to be strong enough to protect the people of Ylisse. I never thought I could do it son, but Ylisse needed me, and I answered that call. I know you think you aren't ready for this, but I know you can be strong enough. The people of Ylisse will come to you one day. They will beg you to help them, and you will answer their call."

"I… think I understand, father." Chrom gave his father the most determined look he could. "I… I want it."

"Do you? Is this your decision?"

"Y-yes. Yes! I… I want it. Since she doesn't want it, I will take my sister's birthright."

Caracalla let a grin envelop his face, but it was more sinister than anything. "It's not her birthright anymore." He sheathed the Falchion, but then knelt down again and ran his fingers through his son's hair. "You're too young to use it now, but in time you will train with it. I will be hard on you, boy. I will not allow weakness. You will need to be strong enough to protect Ylisse. I am doing everything I'm doing right now for you. You, Emmeryn, your younger sibling, I want you to grow up in a future without conflict. If I don't succeed though, then you will need to protect our people. You may face foes beyond anything you can imagine. The people of Ylisse will ask a lot of you, but you will answer their call." Caracalla took his son's hands. "But no matter how strict I am… know that I love you, and I'm doing all of this for you."

"I… I love you too, father." Chrom had felt distanced from his father for most of the conversation, but now he saw his opportunity, and he finally got his hug. For a moment, a brief moment, Caracalla eased up and gave in to his primal emotions. He hugged his son back, taking care not to crush him with his armor. "D-don't ever leave us, daddy. Always come back!"

"I'll… do my best, son."

Chrom's mind snapped back to the present, and he looked up to see everyone staring at him. Based on the expressions they were giving him, he'd apparently been silent for awhile. He slowly rose to his feet, and to Ophelia's relief he took the Falchion from her. "Y-you're right, Ophelia. I-I need to be strong. For… all of you." Chrom rose the Falchion into the air, but then he started to squint at it. "Erm, Ophelia? This is the parallel Falchion. Mine is the other one."

"Huh? How can you tell?"

"Trust me. I know."

Ophelia shrugged and gave Chrom the other Falchion. Chrom smiled as the weapon was once again in his hand. For thousands of years his family had used the weapon, and that wasn't going to end under him. He nodded at his companions and glanced back down to the ballistician, but his calm was obliterated by the sight waiting for him. A tall, lanky man wearing a replica of his daughter's outfit stood staring at the weapon. Chrom was filled with rage at the sight of him, and he was already sprinting down the wall before the others realized what had angered him.

"The hell is the ballistician doing out here?" Keith said, scratching the back of his head. He slowly turned at the sound of someone coming up behind him. "Can this day get any… stranger?"

"KEITH!"

Keith hesitated for an instant, but his pride ultimately gave way to his fear at the sight of Chrom charging towards him, and he bolted away from the ballistician. Chrom could just hear Ophelia calling after him, but he didn't care. He put everything he had into catching Keith. The two dashed through the fort with such speed that they avoided most of the fighting still raging throughout the settlement, and the few people who noticed them barely had time to yell before they were gone. Chrom's anger fueled him even as his legs screamed for him to stop, but he couldn't keep pace with a nineteen year old forever. Keith glanced back frequently, and he sprinted diagonally towards the center of the fort once he realized that Chrom was slowing down. Frustrated at the realization of being lead around in circles, and exhausted from his furious attempt to outrun Keith, Chrom desperately wanted to rest, but the thought of bringing an end to Keith's crimes kept him going. Chrom forced himself after the younger man, and he arrived at the fort's keep just in time to witness the gate closing, cutting the fort's center off from the rest of the settlement. Keith glared at Chrom through the gate, and Cervantes and Farber flanked him. Keith was stoic, but his officers leered at their old foe. Chrom threw himself at the gate, but the two men just laughed at him.

"You're too slow, boy. Just like you were too slow to keep Gangrel from introducing your elder sister to the ground all those years ago." Cervantes jeered. The comment pushed Chrom over the edge, and he pounded on the metal with his bare fist while roaring. Cervantes and Farber gave a mocking laugh, and Keith stepped forward.

"This will save us from the maelstrom outside, but you will be consumed."

"Blackhearted monster!"

Chrom slumped against the gate as Keith, Farber, and Cervantes retreated into the fort's citadel. The sounds of battle still echoed around him, but he just stood there, stuck in a mixture of rage and defeat, until Ophelia, Soleil, and Caeldori finally caught up to him. Ophelia grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Chrom please! I thought you were better! We need you, remember?"

Chrom slammed his fist on the gate again. The very thought of Keith was enough to make his blood boil now. Other than maybe Courtney or Gangrel, he wasn't sure he hated anyone more in his life. Chrom came to see that Walhart truly believed he was doing the right thing when fighting him. Chrom didn't agree with Walhart's methods, and he believed that he knew how to bring peace to the world. The battle with Walhart had been like a battle of ideologies, and Chrom even offered Walhart the chance to join him. When fighting against Validar, Chrom was more determined than anything. Validar was beyond reasoning, and Chrom just focused on the necessity of defeating him. He hadn't truly hated these foes, but he hated Gangrel, and now he hated Courtney and Keith. They had inflicted very personal pain on him, and they had threatened his family. Before he had allowed his rage to drive him, but now, as he looked into his grandniece's pleading eyes, he realized it was hurting their chances of escaping. Chrom took deep breaths and stepped away, trying to think of anything else besides Keith. "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Hey cheer up." Soleil said as she stepped forward. "Gaius and Henry are bringing your cannon thing around. We could just blow open this gate. Would you like that? We could run him over. Snap him like a twig. Would you like that?"

"That… would make me feel better."

Meanwhile Keith scurried deeper into the citadel until he reached a small office. He quickly fumbled through his possessions, tossing items throughout the room. Cervantes stared uneasily at him, and even Farber was confused. "Erm, Justicar? I would never doubt your grasp on strategy and warfare, but that being said… what are you doing?"

Keith answered, but he didn't stop searching through his belongings. "They have the ballistician, Farber. Your weapon has been turned against us."

Cervantes was curious, and Farber's exaggerated reaction only heightened his interest. "What is that? Is that some kind of catapult?"

"It's far more than a catapult. It's an incredibly destructive weapon. I mean ancient times destructive. I mean the Hero King, who fought armies of dragons, would soil himself at the sight of this thing destructive. Alm and Celica themselves would roll over at the sight of this thing! That's the kind of destruction we're talking about here! This is a primeval kind of doom!" Farber responded, his usually serious tone cracking.

"Right." Keith said as he pulled out three cards. "They could blow the gate open with that kind of firepower, so we have to destroy it. Sorry, Farber."

"It's alright. I still have the blueprints. What… what are you doing?"

"These are the Einherjar cards Old Hubba gave us. Heroines of yore. We're going to need them." Keith threw the three cards to the ground, and two women materialized in front of him. The first had red eyes and very light red hair. She wore a white dress, elegant and regal, but also had a few pieces of armor on her legs and arms. Several tomes were by her side, and she also had a short sword. The second woman had yellow eyes and long white hair. She wore a dark red dress with black leggings and a blue cloth flowing behind her. Farber stood in awe. He was particularly amazed at the sight of the red haired woman, the first queen of the unified Valmese Empire Walhart had wanted to emulate. "Celica! Micaiah! What are you doing Justicar?!"

"I'm trying to get them to help us." Keith responded as he furiously shook the third card. "But the third one isn't coming out!"

"Try blowing on it." Cervantes chimed in. Keith blew on the card and angrily shook it.

"Come on you little… work!" Keith shook the card until the third woman materialized. She had light green hair and light green eyes. She also had red and yellow armor and a light yellow cape. Cervantes and Farber couldn't help but stare at the heroines of legend standing in front of them now, but Keith immediately moved in front of them. "Celica. Micaiah. Eirika. Champions of yore. I call upon your great and terrible power. There is a rebellion outside these walls that must be put down. At any cost. More than that, our enemies have a terrible weapon. It must be destroyed."

Eirika drew her sword, and Micaiah readied a tome. Celica held her sword in one hand, and materialized a ball of flame in her other hand. "It will be done." The three chanted.

Chrom, Ophelia, Soleil, and Caeldori carefully walked back to the fort's walls and waited patiently for Gaius and Henry to bring the ballistician over to them. Chrom couldn't help but be proud at the sight of Ophelia. He couldn't imagine actually being by her side fighting with her when she first asked him for help, but now she stood tall, the Falchion slung across her back. It was inspiring, but also confusing as Chrom noticed Gaius' arquebus at her back. "Is that an arquebus, Ophelia?"

"Oh, right. We got all our weapons and armor back from their armory, and I got Gaius' arquebus too." Ophelia took out the double barreled pistol from her hip and presented it to Chrom. "And I got your pistol. The Thundergrypp!"

"The Thundergrypp?"

"That's what we called it. Remember?"

Chrom chuckled. "Right. Thank you." Chrom took the pistol and checked it, but it wasn't loaded. He put it by his hip and looked over to see the ballistician lumbering over to him. He waved at it, and the hatch opened. Henry and Gaius climbed out, and Gaius smiled at the keep. "Alright. Let's put your little girl's psychotic fan in his place, shall we?"

"Keith's tyranny will come to an end today, but try and keep him alive. He could tell us where Tiki was taken."

Ophelia walked up to Gaius and presented his arquebus to him. Gaius seemed genuinely shocked for a second, and he took it very slowly. "We found your weapon erm, Gaius right?"

"Yes. T-thank you, Blondie." Gaius still worried that the girls hated him for what he did at Cordelia's homestead. Ophelia's cheeriness in getting his weapon for him stunned him, and he couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. "Thank you." Gaius inspected his weapon carefully. "So… did you get my other weapons?"

"Your… other weapons?"

"My two wheellock pistols? My hand mortar? My pistol sleeve? My goggles?"

"I… uh-" Ophelia nervously rubbed the back of her head. "I didn't know what was yours. I only remembered the Sunspitter."

"The what?"

"The Sunspitter! That's what we called your arquebus. Remember?"

"Yeah, uh… sure. That stuff was expensive!"

"Sorry."

Gaius took a deep breath. "It's alright. Thank you for giving me this but… did you at least bring bullets and gunpowder?"

"What?"

"Do you not know how a firearm works, Blondie?!"

"Don't you just point it and shoot it?"

"Not without ammo! I can't just throw it!"

Chrom couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, you wouldn't have to worry about ammunition if you used a sword."

"I'm not a young man anymore. I'm too old to be swinging a sword around."

"I do it and we're about the same age."

"Yeah, but you're some kind of machine!"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Ophelia looked at Gaius sheepishly and presented him with a short sword.

"Well I also have this."

Gaius groaned and took the sword. "I guess I'm going old school on this. Let's just get going."

Gaius climbed back into the ballistician, and Chrom followed after him. The two sat themselves back at their seats, and the weapon moved towards the citadel as the rest of the group carefully followed after it. Chrom loaded another shell into the main cannon. He was thinking about defeating Keith, about how things finally seemed to be going their way, when Gaius brought the ballistician to a stop. Chrom had a hard time seeing out of his small port hole, but he could see that three women were now standing in front of the gate. The bodies of several rebelling Arch Surg soldiers that had apparently tried to break through the gate were littered around them, and the women all had weapons ready. "The hell?" Gaius muttered as he brought his face to his window. "Hey! Get out of the way!"

Chrom opened the hatch and poked his head out to get a good look at the women. His heart sank as he realized who they were. "Gaius, these are the Einherjar Old Hubba gave to the Arch Surg. Micaiah, Eirika, and Celica. We fought them before. Remember?"

Gaius leaned back into his chair. "Oh this is not going to be fun. Still though, they can't get us in here right?"

In life, Celica had disliked fire after a traumatic event in her childhood, but Celica's Einherjar had no compunction about using it. She stepped in front of the other two women, raised her arm, and shot a jet of flame at the ballistician. The interior immediately heated up, and Chrom found that the weapon's armor did little to help. He frantically scurried out of the ballistician, and he looked on in horror as it was rapidly engulfed by flames. Gaius climbed out a few seconds later, but he was coughing and sputtering. He collapsed to his stomach after reaching the ground, and Chrom had to drag him to safety. Chrom was only by the ballistician for a few seconds, but the heat was already unbearable. He drew the Falchion as soon as Gaius was safe and readied himself as the three Einherjar advanced towards him. To his relief, Henry and girls made their way to him before the Einherjar attacked any further. "Woah!" Henry exclaimed, a smile on his face. "Look at that thing burn!"

"Is there anything we can do?"

"Sure. I know a curse for putting out a fire like this." Chrom stepped back as Henry walked over to the ballistician, seemingly ignoring the scorching heat. He waved his arm, but the flames didn't subside. They burned with an even greater intensity. "Huh. Whoops. That curse makes the flames burn more. Hold on. This should do it."

Before Henry could wave his arm again, the explosive shells within the ballistician were ignited by the increased heat. The deafening explosion consumed the entire machine, blowing Chrom and the girls backwards and sending wood and metal splintering in all directions. A piece of shrapnel struck Henry in the nose and almost tore it off. The sheer force of the blast sent him to his back, and he just held his nose as blood poured out of his hand. Chrom couldn't hear him, and for awhile he wasn't sure if Henry wasn't making noise or if the blast had made him deaf. It was a miracle that Chrom and Gaius were spared any shrapnel, but Chrom was blown to his back. The girls weren't so lucky, and shrapnel racked them. Soleil was hit in the shoulder by a fist sized piece of wood, and she collapsed to her knees. Caeldori's skirt was torn up at the bottom right side, and her bare thigh had much of its flesh rended off. Ophelia managed to cower somewhat, but shrapnel still tore at her abdomen and arms as she tried to cover her head. The three girls hadn't been seriously injured, but their wounds were incredibly painful, and they fell to their knees screaming. Chrom tried to get up and assist them, but he was painfully reminded of the Einherjar's presence as a fireball soared past him. He turned to see Celica sending a jet of flame at him, and blasts of light from Micaiah ricocheted around him. Chrom raised his Falchion and tried to deflect some of the attacks, but everything had happened so quickly. Part of him was horrified at what happened to Henry and the girls. Part of him was afraid. Part of him was still enraged at Keith, especially knowing that he had surely sent the Einherjar after them. Part of him was so overwhelmed by the ringing sensation in his ears that he couldn't think. Chrom tried to shut it out and focus on defending himself, but the Einherjar quickly overwhelmed him. Micaiah kept him suppressed with rapid attacks from her tome until Eirika could run up and cut him across the abdomen. It wasn't a serious injury, but Chrom was sent to his knees. He looked up to see Eirika readying a downward strike to his neck, but a blast of frigid air sent her backwards before she could finish him. Chrom turned to see Ophelia and Caeldori rising to their feet, but they were slow moving. Ophelia tried to unleash another blast at Micaiah, but she hit her directly with a blast of light magic. Ophelia staggered backwards, and Eirika brought her down with a strike to the head. Caeldori tried to rush to her defense, but Eirika mercilessly kicked her in her injured right leg and then cut her across the shoulder. Caeldori fell to her own knees, and Eirika's Einherjar seemed to consider finishing her, but then she turned her attention to Soleil, who still hadn't managed to rise to her feet. For seemingly no other reason than spite, Micaiah and Celica ran up to her, kicked her in the stomach, and then restrained her arms as Eirika walked over to her. The Einherjar took her time, twirling her sword around in a cocky manner while staring into Soleil's eyes. She struggled as much as she could, but Celica and Micaiah didn't let her go. They easily could have killed her themselves, but they seemed to want Eirika to kill her, execution style. Soleil struggled until the pain became too much, at which point she just smiled at the ground. "Well I guess there's worse ways to go."

But Chrom was enraged at the sight of it. Willing himself through his pain and fear, he charged at the three women. Almost like Tunnellers, the Einherjar seemed to prefer new targets to their old beaten ones. Eirika could've executed Soleil before Chrom could save her, but instead she just bashed her in the face with her sword hilt and turned to Chrom. Celica and Micaiah followed suit, sending a jet of flame and blasts of light respectively at him. Chrom rolled to his left to avoid the flame and used his Falchion to deflect Micaiah's attacks, but Eirika took the opportunity to charge at him. He barely managed to raise his sword in time to block it, and Micaiah ruthlessly blasted him in his exposed abdomen. Chrom shrieked in pain. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. Sleep and let his tired muscles just give out. The rational parts of him tried to remind himself that this would be death, but he almost didn't care. He almost just gave up, and focusing on his rage and determination didn't help. What did snap him out of it was a brief glance at Soleil's bloodied face. Once more he was reminded that the girls would surely never leave the fort without him. It didn't matter how much pain he was in. He had been given a second chance with these three. He would not fail his friends again.

With a feral roar that would have disturbed everyone present if their hearing had still been intact, Chrom rose to his feet and narrowly avoided a downward slash from Eirika. As much as his legs wanted to just fall off, he managed a quick kick to Eirika's knee. The Einherjar's face twisted in misery, and he could hear the audible crack of bone snapping, but Eirika didn't scream. She barely made a noise. Chrom was momentarily terrified at the brutality of his own attack, but he focused on Eirika's silence. A real woman would scream, he told himself. These were not real women. Focusing on that, he grappled with the stunned Einherjar and eventually loosened her clothing enough to reveal a concealed knife. As a burning sensation rapidly enveloping his back reminded him of her presence, Chrom drew the knife and hurled it towards Micaiah. It struck the Einherjar in the eye, killing her instantly. Eirika seemed momentarily fazed by this, and Chrom proceeded to grapple with her further. He knew that Eirika's youth and skill would overwhelm him if he allowed her to recover, so he focused on driving her back with his greater strength and weight. He finally managed a vicious kick to her abdomen that sent her spinning backwards, but he reached out and grabbed her arm with his left hand. This caused her to jerk back and left her abdomen exposed, and Chrom took the Falchion in his right arm and drove it through the Einherjar. He threw all of his weight into the attack, and he didn't fight momentum as he began to fall into her. Instead he used it to drive the blade further into the Einherjar's body. The two fell to the ground, and Chrom rose to his feet and forced the blade up through her stomach and head, partially bisecting her. It was quite possibly the most brutal way he had ever killed anything. Having done that to a normal person would have been traumatizing, but Chrom glanced down and noticed that the Einherjar didn't seem to have any bodily fluids. Even as the corpse was almost split in half, not a drop of blood spilled from it. Chrom focused on these subtle signs of inhumanity, reminded himself that these weren't real women he was killing, and turned to face Celica. The Einherjar looked frustrated at her allies' defeat, but she was no less determined to fight herself.

The legends had always described Celica as a counterpart to Alm. Celica was compassionate and diplomatic. She had tempered Alm's wrath, and she worked to bring the continent into an age of peace. Chrom quickly began to realize that the legends had been made to make her seem more stereotypically feminine. If her Einherjar was anything to go by, Celica was an incredibly powerful warrior in her own right. Celica was very skilled with her blade. Chrom was stronger, his sword was longer, and he was more skilled than his opponent, but Celica was skilled enough to make it impossible for him to end the fight quickly. He occasionally managed glancing hits on her, but this is where Celica's skill in magic gave her the advantage. She simply healed any injury Chrom managed to inflict on her. Chrom was already exhausted, and he knew he had no chance of winning at this rate. If he couldn't find a way to bring her down quickly, the Einherjar would just continuously heal her injuries until he finally tired completely. Chrom put everything he had into a vicious offensive, but Celica broke it by firing some kind of spell into his face. The spell was a bright flash of light. It didn't hurt directly, but it functioned like a magical flashbang. The blinding light disoriented Chrom, and he could do nothing to stop Celica from driving her sword into his lower abdomen, and he fell to his back defeated. Once more Celica could have killed her opponent then and there, but she waited for Chrom to recover. She didn't prepare to move until she was sure that Chrom could see her clearly.

"You have attacked these people without provocation!" Celica's Einherjar stated in a seemingly normal voice. "Now open your arms, sir, and welcome justice's embrace!"

"You're… you're not Celica!" Chrom roared. The Einherjar barely reacted.

"Die, brigand!" Celica raised her sword, but the blade of a massive battleaxe bored through the Einherjar's head before she could kill her opponent. Chrom glanced up to see that Mustafa had saved him. He ripped his axe from the Einherjar and helped Chrom to his feet, but putting any weight on his injury was extremely painful.

"Gah! Put me down! Put me down!" Mustafa brought Chrom to rest near Gaius, who had largely recovered. Old Hubba helped Henry to his feet, and the three former Shepherds sat together. The three girls hobbled over to them, and Chrom realized that none of them had gotten out of the engagement unharmed. Furthermore, there was no chance of breaking into the fort's keep without the ballistician.

Henry took his hand away to reveal a gaping hole going through his nose. He stuck his finger through it, and Ophelia vomited at the sight. "Woah! That doesn't look good." He said with a disturbingly casual tone.

"Oh gods." Chrom groaned. He looked up to Mustafa, whose expression made the severity of everyone's injuries clear. "Thank you… for everything. We couldn't have made it without you."

"And you still may not make it, Prince Chrom." Mustafa pointed towards a building in the distance. Fighting could still be heard coming from the direction, but no Arch Surg forces could be seen around it. "There. That building. That's where they're keeping your wyvern, and your Pegasus. Use them to escape."

"But… Keith?"

"Surely you don't still think that you can beat him? You are all wounded. You need to ensure your escape, and then you must find medical assistance."

"But-"

Mustafa didn't give him any further chance to argue. He gingerly heaved Chrom up into his arms and carried his former enemy to the stables. Chrom could only give a shocked look at the sudden manhandling, but Mustafa didn't care. He was going to help Chrom leave Fort Morgan, whether he wanted it or not. Old Hubba was quick to help Soleil to her feet, and Gaius and Ophelia helped move Caeldori. Henry followed after them. He was still clutching his nose, but he didn't make much noise. It was like he didn't consider the injury to be that serious.

"Mustafa! Can't I walk?!" Chrom exclaimed. The hulking warrior ignored him.

"I know what you're thinking, Chrom. You want to stay and fight. You want revenge on Keith. You'd stay here if you could, but I'm not letting you. You have a real chance to help the world, but only if you leave this fort. I'm making sure you do."

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Making up for past mistakes. I'm being on the right side for once."

Mustafa lead the group all the way to the stables, and he didn't set Chrom down until he was inside. He then quickly moved to block the entrance, in case Chrom still thought he could stay in the fort. Minerva and Aurora were happy to see the group, and the girls wasted no time in getting them ready. Chrom looked over the animals, and he looked back to Mustafa and Old Hubba. "Wait.. we don't have room for you two. You… you knew that. Why aren't you coming?"

"My place is here, Chrom." Mustafa answered. Old Hubba nodded.

"I'll stay with him. I'm not sure I could be of much help to you, and I should try and see if I can't get those Einherjar cards back."

"But this fort is still enveloped in chaos!"

"Ah, but that is why I must stay." Mustafa approached Chrom. "I know why this revolt happened. These soldiers are not afflicted with madness. They're just mad. A dark mage was controlling them. Forcing them to serve. The curse was recently lifted, and they're lashing out in frustration. I can't say I blame them. They are essentially escaping slavery."

"Who… who would do that?"

Mustafa had figured it out. Had he not been so close to him, Mustafa would have attacked Henry. He couldn't bring himself to fight a man he had considered a friend for so many years, but Mustafa did feel that Henry had crossed a line. Even now, he looked at him with sadness as he mounted Caeldori's Pegasus. "Why don't you ask your dark mage friend."

"Henry?" Chrom took a step back. "No!"

"It is true. He is responsible for this evil. I know he wants to grow closer to Ophelia. Maybe… maybe you should consider if that's such a good idea."

Chrom did feel betrayed, but he also knew that escape was the most important matter now. "But why stay with them? We've seen them kill indiscriminately, and they know you're an officer. They'll kill you!"

Mustafa just smiled and hoisted his axe on his back. "They are still people. They are angry yes, but they also need leadership and guidance. Maybe I'll fail, but I think I can help them. Maybe I can help right the injustices done to them."

Chrom didn't believe this was a good idea, but he knew Mustafa wasn't going to change his mind. The two men nodded, an understand between them. "Good luck."

"You too. Now go. You have a destiny that does not end with these walls."

Though Keith stayed secure in his citadel, confident that the walls of the keep couldn't be breached without the ballistician, Farber and Cervantes ventured out to rally scattered Arch Surg loyalists and to find Pheros. The rebels were largely outnumbered, but they were vicious and had attacked with such force that most Arch Surg positions had been overrun. The only reason why the eastern side of the fort hadn't been lost entirely was because Algol was holding part of it with his army of Risen. Farber and Cervantes generally weren't pleased by the constant reminder of Algol's past, but for once they were happy for his skills. Algol used his Risen to guard their rear as the group made their way along the fort's edge, and it was there that they found Pheros, still pinned under her horse. She was initially glad to see assistance coming for her, but the cold stares of her companions dampened her spirits somewhat.

"Well, well." Algol said in a mocking tone. "Found ourselves a fortified position did we?"

"Shut up, Algol."

"What're you doing under there, Pheros?" Cervantes said in a clearly feigned tone of innocence. "Horses do need food you know. Forget to feed it again?"

"Shut up!"

Farber shook his head. "Come on. The Justicar needs us to be ready. Get her out of there, Algol."

Algol directed a handful of Risen to Pheros, and they lifted her horse up enough for her to be pulled out. Pheros initially screamed, but she was finally able to use her healing staff on her legs. Her injuries subsided, and she slowly managed to rise back to her feet. "Oh gods! I didn't… I didn't know if I was getting out of that."

"What happened?" Farber asked. Algol and Cervantes both looked like they had more jeers, but Farber shot them a death glare and intimidated them into silence.

"Chrom happened. He stole some kind of mobile cannon!"

"The ballistician. We know."

"Where is he now?!"

"We're not sure, but he killed the Einherjar the Justicar sent to stop him. We think he may have left the fort already."

"I knew we should have killed their mounts!" Cervantes barked. Farber glared at him.

"Do not challenge the Justicar's decisions!"

Pheros tightened her grip on her healing staff, and her fairly soft features twisted with rage. "I hate that man! I know Archangel needs him alive, but we're too soft on him and his companions. We should break his legs and keep him in a box!"

"He deserves nothing less." Cervantes replied. Pheros looked at him for a few seconds, then turned to Farber and Algol.

"You know, that man has harmed all of us. We've all lost our dreams because of him! I say we make him pay."

"What do you mean?"

"Archangel still needs him captured, so we need to go get him. I say we go ourselves. No soldiers. No oversight. Just the four of us. We'll move faster as a small group. When we find him, we teach him a lesson. We make him pay for what he's done to us. We'll keep him alive…" Pheros gave a sadistic smile. "But we'll show him that the Justicar has been soft with him. We'll make him regret screwing us over. We'll make him regret ever picking up that sword."

Farber, Cervantes, and Algol looked to each other and returned Pheros' expression. Going after Chrom was something they'd have to do anyways, but now they saw the opportunity to have fun with it. "We're in." The three replied.