Validar knelt in prayer at the Dragon's Table, imploring the Fell Dragon's guidance. For years he had searched for his faithless wife and children to no avail. No matter what depraved corner of the world he travelled to, he found nothing but rumors of the threesome.
It was so frustrating! Why couldn't the woman understand how Grima's resurrection would be an event to celebrate, not to fear? His children were fellblood: it was their destiny to give themselves up to Grima, body and soul.
As he implored the Fell Dragon for help, he felt a shift in the world occur. Standing, he looked at the altar where he'd fallen to his knees.
Something powerful had happened; he could sense it. Someone had called upon the dark magic that only the Fell Dragon could grant. Only the most powerful of sorcerers could channel Grima's energy unless they were fellblood. And like all magic, it left a trace.
Perhaps fate smiled upon him now. Perhaps it was time for him to bring his Master back at long last.
It was late at night, and Raven was having trouble sleeping. The fire had burned down to embers hours ago and her eyes were heavy, yet she refused to close them. For the young tactician knew that the moment her lids shut, the image of the burning bandit camp would return.
Even worse than the terrible deaths was her brother's reaction; Robin did not feel the same horror she did, but rather a strange sort of awe. The dark power intrigued him in a way that Raven did not understand. It was just like when they had travelled through Plegia: Robin wanted to see every one of Grima's temples, fascinated by the Grimeal and their apocalyptic beliefs.
As Raven thought of him, she did not realize that her brother was in fact awake. He too was thinking of his sibling, but not with the same concern.
Being on the move, Robin had taken charge-setting up camp, getting dinner, feeding the fire when it became dark, and deciding where to go next. Raven wanted to go further into Ylisse, hoping that the distance from their birth country would keep any Grimeal from noticing them. Robin had not complained, but he wanted to return to Plegia. Having spent nearly seventeen years travelling the world, he wanted to return to the place he'd been born.
He tried to convince himself that his motivations were nostalgic, but deep down, Robin knew it was a lie; he wanted to find out more about the awesome power that had been displayed at the bandit camp. If anyone knew dark magic, it was the Plegian dark mages. They could teach him about the dark magic he'd seen, maybe even help him harness the power of Grima inside him...
Raven sighed aloud, causing Robin to freeze his thoughts. She stood and walked away from the small camp, wanting solitude to think properly. Robin sat up after she was gone and threw another stick into the fire pit.
"Be honest with yourself, Robin," he murmured. "You want to meet your father."
Validar would know about the dark power-he was the Grimeal leader-but he also might take charge and relieve Robin of having to make every choice, be the one in control. And-perhaps-being with his father would help ease the ache in his chest-an ache that hadn't left him since his mother's death. Sighing, Robin laid on the grass, watching the countless stars.
Raven came back into camp and laid back down, still confused and worried. How could she help her brother see that what he wanted was wrong? Evil? Raven was convinced that they would be on the run for the rest of their lives, never to rest again. Not while Validar lived and sought them.
The twin silver-haired tacticians did not sleep well that night, wild and chaotic dreams plaguing them and causing them to wake many times. The next morning, the camp was cleared and the pair continued their endless wandering.
