The day that had started with so much promise turned into one of Robin's worst nightmares. Earlier that day, they had reached Plegia in order to ask for their assistance. They were shocked to learn that the man in charge of the entire country was none other than Validar, the man who had attempted to assassinate Emmeryn a very long time ago. They were even more shocked, however, by the man's willingness to cooperate. He immediately gave them two out of three things they asked for, being ships and gold, with no explanation or wanting of it back. That's where it all went wrong. He introduced them to their hierophant, who looked and sounded exactly like Robin, right down to his name. Validar didn't let them get to questioning this duplicate, expelling them from the castle as fast as he could. Then, after they had set up camp a little farther down the road from the capital, Validar reappeared. He managed to somehow get into Robin's mind, and revealed that he was Robin's father. When Chrom came and consoled him, the alarm was raised.
And this is now where we are. The Shepherds are stuck at the bottom of a valley surrounded by Risen, a Plegian dark mage is shouting something about crows at them, Robin can't think of a strategy, and their best warrior is nowhere to be seen.
"Has anyone seen Link?" Robin called out to the assembled fighters.
"He was last at my tent," the echoing voice of Panne's giant rabbit form replied. "I was telling the man-spawn about taugel culture. I have not seen him since."
"Great." What were they going to do without him? Robin's mind raced to figure out a winning strategy. The best plan would be to get fliers, such as Sumia or Cherche, up to the tops of the cliffs, but those same cliffs were covered in archers. He couldn't risk sending them up.
It was in this silent moment, the Risen waiting for them to make a move, Robin thinking as hard as he could, and the light of the full moon shining down on them, that they heard it. A lone howl echoed across the small valley. Robin would usually pay no heed to the voice of a single wolf in a time like this, but there was something about the noise that caught his attention. There was a primal tone to it; a sinister backing to the howl that made Robin's, and every other Shepherd's, hair stand on end. Even the Risen seemed to be affected by the sound as they all looked in the direction of the fierce sound.
"What in Naga's name is that?" Chrom voiced the question every Shepherd had on their mind. The Risen turned their attention back to the blue-haired leader, called back by the sound of his voice.
No time to be concerned about that, Robin thought, I have a strategy to devise. But how? They have us outmaneuvered, out-manned and- he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Far up on the cliff, one of the Risen archers had fallen. Robin saw a dark shadow dart away from the cloud of decaying Risen, straight into the one on its right. He stared in awe and terror as the dark shape practically flew from archer to archer, disintegrating each one that it ran into. In a matter of seconds, one of the clifftops was clear of Risen. The shape then moved to the edge, and jumped. Robin thought that it would land amongst the Shepherds, possibly dead. But, to his surprise; and the surprise of all his comrades, the shadow lept across the canyon. Robin caught a glimpse of it as it sailed across them and was silhouetted by the moonlight. All he could make out was the shape; some kind of wolf. Once again, it became shadow, and slew all the Risen on the opposite cliff. Robin's mind snapped back to attention.
"Cherche, Sumia!" The riders slowly turned their heads to face him. "Get up on those cliffs! Each of you take one side! We'll all meet with you up there as soon as we can!"
They nodded, and began to take off. Chrom jumped on the back of Sumia's pegasus just before its hooves left the ground, and Frederick did much the same with Minerva, Cherche's wyvern. Robin sighed. They were down two fighters. Though, it may have saved the lives of both Cherche and Sumia, so Robin couldn't complain too much. If the ground units still wanted to succeed, they would have to act fast.
"Everyone else, back up the trail. I saw a way up onto both cliffs back there. When we get to the entrances, split up! Half the party on one side, half on the other. The commander should be in the very back of the valley. Clear?" He looked around and saw the remaining force already on the move. "Good."
The band of Shepherds tore through the Risen in their attempt to escape the ambush. Blasts of fire and lightning radiated out from the group of mismatched soldiers, along with various javelins and axes, moonlight glinting off of the weapons. Purple smoke filled the air as they reached the rear of the small valley. Robin and Lissa took one half while Panne and Miriel took the other. Spears and swords stabbed at the tactician's group as they raced towards their awaiting rider and company. As they moved, Robin saw quick flashes of something darting between the trees, taking down any Risen that was out of the group's reach. They reached a clearing and saw Chrom and Sumia battling a horde of the vile creatures. Robin was about to charge at the undead soldiers, but stopped when they all began to fall. The shadow once again moved across the Risen at a breakneck speed, reducing their numbers so severely that Sumia, with her limited amount of training, managed to fend off the remaining few. Robin ran over to them, and saw a deep gash in Chrom's leg. He obviously saw Robin's eyes dart to the injury, and gave a weak smile.
"Don't worry, Robin. I'm fine, thanks to your strategy. We wouldn't have been as fine if you didn't manage to dispatch those Risen."
"Chrom," Robin looked dumbfounded, "we didn't stop them. Something else got to them before we could."
"I see." Chrom looked around warily. "Right then. Let's continue with your- ahhh!" Chrom had attempted to take a step forward, but his leg gave way.
"No, you're staying here." Sumia jumped off the pegasus and knelt next to Chrom. "I'll heal you back into working order. Do you think you can stop them without us?" This was directed at Robin. He nodded.
"I know we can."
The next few minutes were a blur. Robin knew that he was casting spells alongside Lissa and gaining ground on their deceased foes, but his mind was occupied with that shadow. Where did it come from? Why was it here? And whose side was it really on? These thoughts were soon cut out by the loud sounds of some kind of commander. Robin shook his head to clear it and focus on the battle ahead.
"Okay, Lissa, let's go!"
"Right behind you!"
The commander was an imposing figure. The light of the moon showed him in all his ferocity. He was laden with muscle, towering above both Robin and Lissa. His sword glinted in the light as it pointed this way and that, being used as a signal for his undead army. When they got close, his head swiveled to face them, the disturbing mask that all Risen wore only making him more threatening. The glowing red eyes of the commander stared at them for a brief moment before he launched himself at the pair, grunting and growling wildly. Robin and Lissa moved to opposite sides just as his sword broke the ground between them. He flailed his weapon at the duo as they weaved and dodged this way and that. The spellcasters could barely get a hit on the giant he was moving so fast. Eventually, Robin found an opening, and shot a single bolt of lightning between the creature's ribs. It let out a deafening howl as it flew back, straight into a tree, snapping it in half. Robin turned to look at his fellow Shepherds, who had just run up behind the two, with a proud grin on his face as it vanished into the night air.
"We did it! It's over. Um… guys?" They were all staring at something behind him. A low growl reverberated around him, and he slowly turned around. There, in the shadows and amongst the trees, two points of blue light stared at him. Robin stepped back as they began to move forwards, the pinpoints of light revealing what they were attached to. The moonlight shone off of the fur of something resembling a large wolf. Its black and white colouration had a pattern to it, as if someone had painted angular shapes into the creature. Around one of its front legs was the remnants of a chain, and, most curious of all, it had an earring. Robin took another step back and heard the ring of steel behind him as the Shepherds drew their weapons. He reached for the hilt of his own sword, when something began to happen. The beast began to turn to shadow once more, but this time it was standing directly in the light. When it had become fully black, rectangles of the same shade began to float off of it. It stood up on its back legs, and began to take on a different shape. Its front paws began to splay apart, the elbows moved down and thickened, the ears shrank somewhat, and what Robin presumed to be its fur began to become the shape of clothes. As the black on it began to recede and the black rectangles lessened, the gathered party gave out a simultaneous gasp. Before them was now a very familiar green swordsman, holding a black object in his right hand.
"Link?" Lissa whispered incredulously. The boy gave a small smile, and looked down at the thing in his hand. It appeared to be a Beaststone, but all black. In fact, it seemed to absorb light as opposed to radiate it as the stones normally did; this one was radiating darkness.
"You." Panne's voice called out, snapping the others out of their trance. She, unlike them, seemed unfazed by the boy's transformation. "That is one of my stones." She walked towards Link. "Give it back." Link held out the stone obediently, and Panne reached for it. "Why did you-" She froze. Her hand was hovering just above the darkened stone, completely tensed with her veins almost breaking her skin. She reeled back from the object, fear doing a quick dance across her face. "How did you do this? My stone has been corrupted with dark energy!" Link shrugged. "Then why did you do it?" Link withdrew the stone, and moved his left hand over to it. As it got closer, a faint glow could be seen coming from underneath his glove, getting brighter and brighter as it neared the stone. He took his hand back.
"That could come in handy." Robin mused, breaking out into a smile. Link followed suit. "Right. I should go back and see how Chrom is doing. Lissa, do you mind taking care of injuries while Link and I go and check up on him?"
"I do mind!" She put on a fake pouting face. "But, I SUPPOSE I can do that. Just bring big brother back alive."
"Can do. Come on, Link. I want to learn more about this beast form of yours." With that, the two set off in search of the Exalt.
They approached Chrom and Sumia. Chrom saw the two coming, and gave Sumia a look. With that, she took to her pegasus and flew across to the other Shepherds.
"So, did you discover anything about that shadow?" Chrom walked over to them, his leg injury now nothing more than a scar.
"Actually," Robin glanced over at Link, "it was him. Turns out, Link is some kind of taugel as well, but he takes on the form of a wolf."
"Wow. That would explain the ears."
"Yes, I suppose it would." He could feel the confused glare of Link on him. "Anyway, we managed to take down the chief."
"Good. That's the last of them." He looked out across the clifftop. "Gods, I thought they might nev-"
Something caught Robin's eye, and it was moving towards Chrom. "Chrom, look out!" He wasn't fast enough. The figure of an assassin practically appeared next to Chrom.
"Huh?! Ah!" He turned, but too late. Falchion was in its sheath, and the sword of the assailant was already moving towards him.
"Father, no!" A female voice called from nowhere. Then, Marth, a woman they had once met disguised as a man, leaped out of the bushes and stopped the oncoming blow. The assassin then vanished as quickly as it had appeared, the only thing telling of its arrival was the swish of its robes in the bushes.
Marth turned around, beaming at Chrom. "Thank the gods you're safe!"
Chrom stood in stunned silence before replying. "...You called me 'Father'."
Marth's smile disappeared. "Did I? I… ...Perhaps we might speak privately?" She glanced over at Robin.
"Perhaps we should, yes." Chrom and Marth walked off, leaving a stunned Robin and slightly hidden Link standing by themselves.
"Maybe we should go get Sumia." Robin looked over at Link. He nodded, and the two rushed off to find the wife of the Exalt.
After only saying a few words to Sumia, she ran off in the direction that Chrom and Marth had gone. Robin hadn't even had time to tell her the whole story. When Link and Robin reached where the two, followed unknowingly by a third, were, Robin could see tears streaming down Marth's face. He thought it best to interrupt before things went too far.
"I'm sorry- Chrom?" He stepped into the clearing.
Chrom looked up at the tactician. "Hmm? Oh, Robin. What is it?"
Robin shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "It's just that… You two are out here alone and Marth is… crying. This is how ill rumours are born."
They heard the light sound of a nearby voice. "He loves me… He loves me not…" They looked around and saw the distraught figure of Sumia, practically tearing the petals off of some flowers.
Chrom spoke up. "Er, Sumia? Why in the gods' names are you shredding those poor flowers?" Sumia turned to face him, now on the brink of tears.
"I'm not spying on you! You can't prove that I am! Oh, gods! You brought… HER!" The built up tears began to fall.
"Can we tell her, Lucina?"
"Of course," Marth replied. Or…
"Lucina?" Sumia looked up from her flower. "But wait, that's…"
"Sumia, this is going to be something of a shock, but… I'll just say it: This is our daughter, Lucina." The silence that followed was deafening.
"...What?" Sumia eventually replied."
"It's true, Sumia." The young girl piped up, "I'm your daughter. Look closely and see for yourself." She then walked toward Sumia, and pointed to her eye. After a second of squinting, Sumia gasped.
"Y-your eye! It has the Brand!"
Chrom stepped in. "The same Brand carried by all House Ylisse's bloodline."
"This… This is…" Sumia looked like she might faint.
"Do you see now?"
"No, Chrom, I do NOT see! This doesn't make any sense! ...Wait. Is my Lucina all right? What did you do to her?!" She almost lunged at the girl.
"Peace, Sumia." Chrom held her back.
"Your baby is right where you left her, and perfectly safe." The girl was unflinching. "I am from another time. From a time that is yet to be."
"You mean… the future?" Sumia almost fainted again.
"Yes, more than 10 years hence. After history takes a dark and most destructive turn..." The assembled party gave a small gasp, even the one Lucina had not noticed. She turned to face the one hanging back, who was staring off into space, eyes filled with terror. "Who is this?" Her hand went to her blade.
"This is Link. If not for him, we wouldn't have made it out of that last battle alive." Robin moved between the two. Lucina peered around the man in order to get a good look at the green-clad warrior. "What happens in the future?" He tried to change the subject. It worked.
"The fell dragon, Grima, is resurrected. His roar is a death knell for man, a scream that silences all hope… Death everywhere…" Her expression went sour as she trailed off.
"Chrom? ...Our whole company? All of us? Dead?!" Robin stood back. He knew that Link came here to stop something. Maybe this was it. He looked back and saw both relief and confusion on the boy's face. This wasn't it. It looked like he didn't even know what the fell dragon was, much less how to stop it. If Lucina is here to stop Grima, Robin connected the gruesome dots, Then Link is here to stop something else. Something more than the end of humanity. Something just as bad; or worse…
A/N: This was a long one! This chapter in the game and this story is so important that I couldn't cut it up into sections. Instead, you get a longer chapter. Oh, and for this one, special thanks to Mew29240 for the Beaststone idea. It was genius, so I went with it. I hope you guys enjoyed this one! Any questions, comments, concerns, ideas or qualms, please review or PM. Every little bit helps!