Ahoy mateys~

Do you know what I like about Fire Emblem Awakening?
"Robin".
Or to be more precise, the "Player via Game Concept of Robin".

If I ask you, who's the protagonist of FEA, most would probably say that it's Robin.
But, hear my opinion for a moment...

Who is on the game's art box?
Which character appears in most cut-scenes?
WHO is "the guy with the sword"? (If the term isn't self-explanatory enough, I'll talk about it in another chapter, promise. :) )

Chrom and Lucina.

Robin is a very important character indeed, but he is not the protagonist.
This story is about the drama of a prince becoming a king, with the responsibility to save his kingdom and the world with the help of his daughter from the future.

Robin is a witness. Just like the way the player is a witness.

And I'm fine with that.
Why?
Because Robin isn't TOO fleshed out. He is noble, smart, kind, open-minded, but he doesn't possess too many characteristics to be the main character.
But most importantly, he's not too fleshed-out so that the player can see himself enough in Robin's boots.
The "SUPER-DUPER-AND-SO-ORIGINAL" concept of "amnesia" helps that connection too, since, just like Robin, we have no idea what the hell is going on.

Which is the "mistake" of Fates.

In Fire Emblem Fates, the protagonist IS too fleshed-out.
From the very beginning, Corrin is that character that spent his/her whole life in a dark castle. Thus, he tends to be VEEEEEERY naive to his/her surroundings.

Of course, he/she evolves quickly through the story and... perhaps TOO quickly.

But really, I can't talk much about Corrin since I didn't finished a single one of the Fates games.

All in all, I am not saying that Corrin is a bad character. I actually like her a lot (Yes, HER. I'm not a fan of Male!Corrin) and she is in my main team in Fire Emblem Heroes.
All I'm saying is that in Awakening, I was able to portray myself as Robin.
I was able to feel like I was a part of the story without being the main focus.

Just like what I'm doing with this story.

The focus of this fanfiction is me, of course, but I'm just a part of the grand scheme.
This story focuses on a witness instead of the "main hero".

In the end, all I wanna say is...

Never before have I felt like a part of a video game more than by playing Fire Emblem Awakening.

But enough talk!
I know that you're just here to read about a guy having short existential crisis on the battle-field. :P

Enjoy!

P.S. : And no, CD123505. I cannot marry Nowi. Nah doesn't have my hair color.


I've never hurt anyone physically before.
Not on purpose anyway…
I remember slapping a girl when I was twelve, but she had one of those bitchy attitude.
After all the bullying, my hand moved on its own.

In any case…
The actual situation isn't comparable.

I train wrecked a guy with my dragon breath.

It would sound way funnier in my head if it didn't actually happened.
This is bad…
Through my many months of training with Nah and Severa, I thought I would be ready to take a person's life…
And I was wrong.

They're just bad guys…

Right?...

I…

Don't want to…

'Sparing an enemy is a luxury we can't afford.'

Shut up…

'In this world, it's killed or be killed.'

Shut up!

'The flesh of the weak is the food of the strong.'

SHUT UP!

I raise my head with anger.

"Leave this island, now!" I say. "Or else, I- I'll be forced to kill you."

… crap.
I stuttered.

And Roddick seems to have noticed it.
He's heavily breathing, with scratches and burnt skin here and there…
And yet, he gets back on his feet without much difficulty.
He spits on the ground and stares at me with a menacing smile.

"A yellow-belly…"

Crap.

"Is that all that yah got, yellow-belly?" he asks with a taunting voice. "Impressive magic trick, but t'is fire couldn't even cook mah breakfast!"

He turns toward his men and yells at them.

"He's all barkin' and no bites! Kill him!"

The raiders hesitate, but then charge at me with their swords and axes.
Crap… they're here for my head.

I rise my dragon stone again and get enveloped in my flower petals.

Well. This is it.

No holding back.

If I can't do this…

… how am I supposed to…

… join the Shepards?

"RAAAAAAAAH!"

The flower explodes in front of the brigands and-

Flying axe.

A flying axe planted itself in my right shoulder.
Hell. I thought it would hurt way more than thaaaAAA-

"AAAAAARGH!"

Shit! It hurts like friggin' hell!

I'd turn my head to check my wound, but the brigands are getting way to close for comfort.
Who the hell threw that axe?

"Roddick…"

The bastard is laughing hard and loud, mocking me…

I'm coming for you, asshole.

"Yaaaaah!"

I spit a fireball at the first guy coming at me.
He pulls his head down and the brigand behind him gets it right in the face.
Ignoring his unfortunate partner, the guy charging at me raises his sword over his head.
I jump at him with a boost from my wing and left-elbow him right in the chest.
I push him on the ground and step on him with my back feet to jump at the next guy.
I shoot a fireball at him.
He blocks it with his shield, but the impact knocks him off the bridge.
Next is-

FWOOSH!

… fool me once. Shame on you.
But if you thought that that whole sneakily-throw-another-axe-at-me would work again, Roddick, you a- oh shoot.

Two brigands armed with axes are having a swing at me.

I dodge the swing on the right, but the one on the left hits one of my wings.

Still unpleasant.

"KUH!"

I swing my tail at the one who hit me, but he jumps back to avoid it.
Not missing this opportunity, his partner attacks.
My arm moves on its own and I block the axe with my forearm.
Hey, not the brightest idea, but it's either that or my neck.

I am grateful to have my skin covered with scales…
Or else, I wouldn't have a hand anymore.

'A hand'?

Wasn't someone supposed to give me a hand right now?

I push the ground with my wings and lift off the ground, out of the axe's range.
Ow! My left wing!
Bear with it!
Turn around!

… where's Nah?

I told her to join the fight as soon as I transformed…

Why isn't she-

"GUH."

That was my right wing…

An arrow is sticking through it…

I'm falling.

CRACK!

My heavy draconic body breaks some planks from the bridge.

Shit…
Now, I'm the one who's train-wrecked...

And I'm stuck too.
My wings cannot deploy either…

I raise my head toward my assailants and they're getting closer.

They're safely walking towards me, so...

I transform into my human form again.

And fall through the planks.

OW!

There was another plank of wood under the bridge…

And I fell right on it…
On my back…

That's a visit to the chiropractor for sure…

"The dragon fell through the bridge, Roddick!"

Oh yeah…
Fire Emblem…

I don't think they have chiropractors here…

"I CAN BLOODY SEE THAT, YOU IDIOT! GET HIM!"

Through the hole I raise my head and see the two guys with the axes staring at me.

"But… how?" one of the two asks.

"Leave it to me!"

A third men shows its face, bends its bow and aims for my head.
Oh no…
I can't move…

"WAIT! STOP!"

Huh?

Roddick just yelled at its men again…

Why? They were just about to get rid of me!

"… I think we got quite tha' treasure here."

Eh?

The archer and the two axe warrior steps aside and their leader pops out his head from the hole.
He's looking at me with a smile…

"Would not be a shame to kill a dragon? Just imagine tha' fortune we coul' gathah out of him…"

… wait.
Just like Nowi?

"Pull him out o' ther'. We leave the islan'."

"But, what about the village, Roddick?" one of the man asks.

"FORGET THE BLOODY VILLAGE! That thing is gonn' make us SO rich, we'll be living like lords for tha' res' of our days!"


At least I can see the bright side…
The village is spared…

TCHAK!

"AAARGH!"

A body is falling on the bridge.

"H-Hey! Y'all leave that mister-the-dragon alone!"

….
DONNEL!?
THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE?

DID- DID HE JUST IMPALED SOMEONE?

OH MY GOSH!

Wait.

Donnel just saved me.

I…

"YOU STUPID SQUIRT!"

One of Roddick's man is angry…
I can hear him charge at the farmer-boy.

Shit.
My body is nothing but pain right now…
But I can't leave Donnel like this…
He got one guy, but he stands no chance against the other three…

Must… rise… again!

I grasp my dragon stone...

Filling my mind with determination, I can feel the energy of the sphere coursing through my being.
Let's use that energy to ignore the pain, shall we?

I swiftly climb my way back on the bridge.
My wings aren't in the right shape to fly, but I can still use them to climb and propel myself off the bridge's hole.

"GRAAAAAAAAH!"

I see my targets.
The two axe fighters and the archer just turned their head toward me.
I charge at them and spit a fire ball at the archer.

I break his bow and the man gets the sphere right in his tummy.

"URK!"

One down.
Two to go.

You won't kill him.
LEAVE HIM ALONE.

I jump at one of the two brigand left.
He swings his axe at me and gets me right in the ribs.

"Ha ha!" he exclaims. "I got ya-"

I look at him straight in the eyes.
Unfazed.
His mouth his shaking, with no words coming out.

I dragon-punch him in the neck and a big cracking noise is heard around us.

Shit.

That was…

As I transform back into my human-form, I look at Donnel.

He's bleeding on both arms.
His spear is sticking through the last brigand's torso who's unconscious on the floor.

And behind me…

Donnel's second spear is stuck right in Roddick's heart.

Wow…

We did it…

I walk toward Donnel…
Rectification.

My body falls on the bridge like a pretty butterfly on a daisy flower in the middle of spring.
Loudly.

"Mister-the-dragon!"

My body is nothing but pain.
I'm pressing my hand over my bleeding side as I'm lying on the floor.

Speaking hurts my ribs.

"Hey Donnel… W'sup?"

The farmer boy crouches in front of me.

"Y- Y'all right?"

"All in a day's work…"

I laugh lightly.
Ow. Ow. Ow.

"What in hell's bazin' were yah doin'?"

Heh… Good question.
Wait. Actually…

"What are YOU doing here? I'm grateful for the rescue and all, but…"

"I was on mah way for some deer-hunting…. Then I heard the ruckus."

"You saved my life."

The villager's face turns red as he shakes his head.

"A- A' didn't do nothin', dragon-sir!"
"No. Seriously. If it wasn't from you, I was about to set my way for the slave market… I owe you my life."

Donnel laughs nervously.
And then his face turns white.
Okay, now what?...

"Aaaaaaaaw, come on!"

They're back.

The brigands that I scared off earlier.

They came back.
Wow… I sure scared a lot of them.

"R- Roddick!? HE KILLED RODDICK!"

"LET'S GET HIM!"

Wow.

For a bunch of pussies, they seem pretty determined now…

"Donnel… run."

I turn my head toward the farmer boy, but he's flat-out paralysed by fear.

"DONNEL!"

Nothing. He's not moving!

I turn my head once again toward the charging brigands.

… crap.

Just as I was wondering how we were about to get out of this one, a guy wearing a huge blue-stripped armor jumps in front of me.
Our savior…

Wait, but he alone cannot stop this whole gang by himself!
And yet, he stops the charge right in its track.
How does he even do tha-

"LET'S PUSH THEM BACK, KELLAM!"

"READY WHEN YOU ARE!"

Who?

'Kellam'?
Who's Kellam?

Wait what!?

Another knight just appeared beside the other one!
And I recognise that one! It's…!

'Kellam', right?

What the hell is going on!?
Is this a joke!?
Even I am affected by Kellam's lack of presence!?
This is ridiculous!

Efficiently enough, the two knights push the brigands back and starts hitting them with their weapon.

I then hear the whistling sound of arrows flying over my head.

Is that… Virion?

Great…

The Sheperds have answered the letter I sent them months ago.

Perfect timing…

The last surviving brigands fled.
Again.

I'm trying my best right now not to faint…
But it's getting harder by the minute…

"Bon! J'pense pas qu'y risquent de revenir!" (Good! I don't think they'll come back!)


Huh?

"J'veux bin 'crère' que t'es un dragon, mais c'tait pas mal risqué ton affaire." (I want to believe that you're a dragon, but that stuff was pretty risky.)

I know that voice…
I hear Virion behind me.

"Cirus. That language… is that fellow the author of the letter that was sent to us?"

'Cirus'…

I only know one guy with that alias…

"Charles?"

The blue-stripped knight looks at me with a huge grin.

"Yo!"

Okay… I'm fading out…

"Quessé qu'tu fouts icitte?..." (The hell you doing here?)

...