Let me begin by asking you a question: Why are you here?
I know why they are here, but not you. You are not part of this, yet you continue, seeing into their lives as if it is the most natural thing in the world. You are the ultimate voyeur, you know that? Have you gone over it all again? How many times have you watched them stumble, stall, sprint, and succeed?
I suppose I will never have the answer. Even if you wanted to give me a response, you are unable to. You are the eternal watcher. You only read and listen, but never intervene. I suppose that does not make us very different.
It also explains why I hate you.
Liz never had become accustomed to traveling between dimensions. It was always a grueling process— not because it was long and arduous, but because of the aftereffects. After a technicolor nightmare that would cause any sane person to immediately gouge their eyes out, it would always be followed by nausea and a feeling of impending doom, as if at any moment the world would come alive, form a mouth out of stone and earth, and swallow her whole. She hated it, but it was necessary. And as the orb in her hand simmered down and lost its illustrious glow, she placed her hand against a nearby wall and glanced around to get a look at her surroundings.
They had arrived in a small, dark alleyway, with the vestiges of the evening sun struggling to enter the tight corridor. Liz saw a few rats skitter away, squealing at their sudden arrival and disturbance. Nearby, at the end of the alley, she saw the shadows of people moving back and forth like shadow puppets.
"Well," Liz said, coughing into her fist. "We're here. Welcome to Ylisse, everyone!"
She turned around and saw the rest of her entourage in various states of discombobulation. Ashton looked as if someone had socked him across the jaw, and he was leaning against the wall just as Liz had been a moment prior. Shez, the purple-haired mercenary, was retching in the far corner. Meanwhile, unlike them, the draconic ones among them seemed almost totally unaffected, if a bit unnerved. Seiros's immediate focus was on Arawn, who was stroking Shez's back comfortingly, while Corrin looked around as if she thought something was hiding in the shadows of the alleyway.
"Entering Zahras was not that nauseating," Ashton muttered, "and suddenly finding myself in a tent a thousand years ago was not that disorientating."
"It has something to do with our method of transportation," Corrin said, walking forward until she stood beside Liz. "Whatever Prometheus did to the three of you the first time- well, safe to say it must have used a lot of energy. Our method involves taking one of my mother's near-broken artifacts and pushing it far past its original intention. So, yes, it's a little hard on the body. But what matters is that we're all here, right?"
"I regret this," Shez said, breathing heavily as she turned her head slightly and gave Corrin and Liz a sidelong glance. "I regret going with you. I regret everything."
"Do you regret coming with me?" Arawn asked, one brow raised and arms crossed.
"No," Shez replied quickly, "in both senses of the word-!"
A glare from Seiros was enough to get Shez to stop talking, and the Nabatean moved forward past Liz and Corrin and out into the street, only for a passerby to bump into her. Said pedestrian acted like he had stumbled into a stone wall as he backed up several feet, while Seiros made no motion to indicate she had been inconvenienced in any way.
"Excuse me," she said, turning to the man who swore up and down. "Do you happen to know where we are?"
"Naga be damned! You're a godsdamned stone wall, woman!" the man said, rubbing his nose as he lightly glared at Seiros. "This here's Warreth, understand? Warreth. And the first rule of Warreth is not to stand in front o' people as they pass by! Good day!"
The man rushed past Seiros, still cursing under his breath.
"Does that name mean anything to you?" Seiros asked, turning around.
"Yeah, it means we're south of where we need to be," Liz replied, rubbing her forehead as she moved forward. "C'mon. If what that man said was true, then we've still got a couple days worth of travel ahead of us. And maybe avoid pissing people off, yeah?"
"Do as I say and not as I do, right, Jelly Bean?" Corrin said.
"Hey, when I piss people off, I'm cute about it," Liz snorted. "Besides, I gathered you all together, didn't I? With your help, of course, Candy Corn. Couldn't have done it without ya."
"Stop, you'll make me blush," Corrin said, wiping her forehead.
"And you'll make me gag as well," Ashton muttered, moving past them. "If we have days of travel ahead of us, I'd rather we get started."
"Alright, hang on! Don't get carried away! We'll get prepared first, yeah? Hang on." Liz fumbled with her belt, before producing a pouch. "Alright, three groups? Seiros and Ashton, Arawn and Shez, and Corrin and me. Take a bit of gold, and go and buy what you need, alright? It won't be a long journey, but we'll need everything we can get our hands on. And hell, this might be the last time any of us get to do some shopping for a while, you know? Go and enjoy yourselves!"
"I guess gold from Fódlan wouldn't work here," Shez said, "not that I brought any here with me anyway."
"Well, what're you crazy kids waiting for?" Liz asked, gesturing for everyone to leave the alleyway. "Go on! Get!"
"You realize I am a thousand years old, right? Who are you to call me 'kid'?" Arawn asked.
"If it doesn't work in a court of law, I don't wanna hear it," Liz replied with narrowed eyes. "Now, seriously, get going."
"You seem a bit on edge," Ashton remarked, taking the large bag of supplies they had bought and hoisting it over his shoulder. "I can see it in your stance, Seiros; your feet are spread apart and you look around like a spooked owl."
Seiros crossed her arms and looked away as they pushed their way easily through the crowds of Warreth. The stench of fish and other consequences of human habitation hung heavily in the air, amidst a backdrop of spices and sweat that Ashton could almost place as familiar. The streets of the port city were not in the best shape, either; there were signs of an old battle in some areas, like the occasional crumbled ruin of a building or an errant splatter of dark, dried blood. Beyond that occasional reminder, however, Ashton imagined that a port city such as Warreth was one to always return to the status quo after a vicious battle.
"Is there anything else about my stance that you were able to glean?" Seiros asked pointedly, "like, perhaps, that my hand has not left the pommel of my sword since we began strutting about these fetid streets? Or how I can feel the gazes of these ignorant people even as they rush to get out of our way? If so, my dear Ashton, then your deductive capabilities have not waned since your thawing."
"Ouch," Ashton whistled, "the claws are out today, I see."
Seiros huffed. "I am simply… out of my element, Ashton. It is not even the glances my way that unnerve me. I have dealt with all types of stares ever since I professed Sothis' teachings in the small town that would become Enbarr. It is… this is the first time I have been outside of my homeland in my entire life."
Ashton paused and then nodded, gesturing with his free hand to a painted wall nearby that provided an escape from the endless crowd. Seiros stepped forward gratefully, letting out a sigh as she spun in place and leaned against the painted wall. Ashton laid the supplies down, scrutinizing the dark corners nearby for rats looking for a quick snack before returning his attention to Seiros.
"I guess we are not so different now, huh?" Ashton asked, crossing his arms. "Not that I would wish this on anyone. You know, if you want, I could probably convince Liz to take us back."
Seiros waved a hand as she took a breath. "No. I will not deprive you of this chance, and if we returned to Fódlan we would be dragged into another conflict, no matter how far we would run."
"Or fly. You fly really fast," Ashton remarked.
"Yes, and that form is also very dangerous, as you have no doubt seen. And is also not tiny by any measure," Seiros replied dryly, looking down at Ashton from the bridge of her nose, unamused.
A rare grin appeared on Ashton's face. A grin Seiros had only seen in certain places, during certain times.
"It's not the only thing not tiny about you," Ashton said quietly.
Seiros blinked once, then twice, before she snorted and nearly doubled over.
"Out of all the things you could have said, it was that!" Seiros said, desperately trying to contain her laughter. "Oh… oh, dear Ashton, you have so much to learn!"
Ashton shrugged. "I try my best."
"If this is your best, then I would hate to see your worst," Seiros said, wiping her forehead even as a toothy smile made it difficult for her to speak. "Or maybe I would not. It would be such a sight to see."
"Alas, I am being viciously bullied by my dragon wife. Whatever shall I do?" Ashton said, placing a hand against his heart as he leaned against the painted wall. "If only there was some fair maiden around to repair the fractured pieces of my heart…"
"I may not be skilled in healing magic, my dear knight," Seiros replied, "but perhaps I can do something about that heart of yours…"
It was a quick kiss, but one Ashton savored, even as he saw Seiros pull back from it and look back out onto the street.
"This is a strange world. Can you not feel it?" Seiros whispered. "You have my Crest flowing through you still; I would imagine you can feel it, even faintly."
Ashton shrugged. "Nothing much, honestly. The most I've been able to do is tell if someone else has a Crest. But… now that you mention it, I did get a weird feeling about Liz."
Seiros shook her head and crossed her arms, beginning to pace in front of Ashton. "If you cannot feel it, then I need to describe it. It might have some pertinence as to why I feel this way. It is… it is as if this isn't what is supposed to be. Something awful happened here, years ago. It is long gone, but echoes of it remain."
"Here?" Ashton asked, "As in, this city? Or this world?"
"Yes," Seiros replied simply.
Ashton snorted, turning his head away. "Very funny."
"I am serious!" Seiros exclaimed, brows furrowed. "The danger is long past, this world is safe, but… I suppose such terrible things cannot simply vanish. This world is still healing from some catastrophe. I would… hate to bring another to it so soon."
"We will. That's why we're here, right?" Ashton said, "and also to go home, too, of course. We both know that Prometheus would not take his defeat lying down. He would come for us eventually."
"I wonder how true that is," Seiros replied softly, "but it is too late to back out now, and though the townsfolk stare at me in such crude ways, I will endure it. I do wonder what your father is like. If he is anything like you, he must be a remarkable man, indeed."
Ashton looked down. "I never did get around to speaking about him, did I?"
Seiros shook her head. "We were always too busy, Ashton. I understand. But in this moment of calm, perhaps only weeks before I face him, could you enlighten me?"
Ashton stood still for a moment, his lips thinned before he finally sighed and nodded. "Might as well. We still have a little while until we need to be at the front gates. Now… how do I describe him? Well, you already know my mother died when I was very young. Instead of succumbing to grief and drinking himself to death or some other tragic fate, he persevered, and focused all his attention on making sure I had a good childhood."
A wistful smile appeared on Seiros face, before falling away almost as quickly. "I see…"
Ashton continued, "I always thought that one day I would, you know, thank him. Show him how grateful I was that I had a father like him. I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life at the time, but I thought if I could focus on one goal like he did, it'd eventually come to me."
He shrugged, his face settling in a deep frown for a moment. "And then Alex disappeared. Just," he snapped his fingers, "like that. They never found a body, but if you do not find someone alive in the first few days after they go missing, you never find them alive. Even the driver who had seen him step off the bus had no explanation. Then there was Liz. She went out the door and was never seen again. A few months after that, a funeral. It happened so fast. And with the virus…"
Seiros had been in a reverie before snapping into attention. "A virus?"
Ashton waved a hand. "I'd hope they have that whole situation under control, but there was something nasty going around for a good while. When I got taken, well - I do not know how much time has passed there since I left, but I have faith that they have things under control now. Or perhaps they do not. I guess we will see. Anyway, that is not what I was trying to get at."
"He sounds like a good man, Ashton," Seiros whispered softly, placing a hand against his shoulder. "I can see a lot of him in you. You have a rather one-path mind."
"I hope you meant that in a good way," Ashton replied, brow raised.
"Of course, my love. Being focused is not a bad thing!" Seiros said.
"Well," Ashton said, wiping his forehead. "If you say so."
"I really did not mean that in a bad way, Ashton," Seiros continued. "I admire that about you, you know. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I been like that. Would the Church be better under someone else's supervision, as I focused on raising Arawn? Could I have…?"
Shaking her head, Seiros said, "Perhaps I should not focus on what could have been, but with us rapidly approaching what might be the end, I find them occupying my mind regardless."
"We both have issues letting go of the past, don't we?" Ashton mused, before shaking his head. "What matters is that we're all here, together, and about to end this machine god's reign of terror. I can't say I wouldn't do things differently, but I also can't say that I regret where we are now."
"As do I," Seiros said, "Now, let us be away. An excess of time or not, perhaps we shall be stared at less in the wilderness."
"We need this."
"Shez, that is a pan. We do not need more than three at best."
The shop the couple were in was readily deserted, with only a dimly lit desk with a barely-conscious man at it, watching them warily as they went between the shelves. Orange sunlight pierced through the dirty windows, casting long shadows across the wooden floor.
Shez placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. "You just don't understand what we need and don't need."
"I am over a thousand years old; if there had ever been a use for four pans, I would have found it," Arawn replied, brows furrowed. "And we both know you're buying things to make yourself feel better. It would not do to spend all of the money that small lady gave us."
"Small lady? Snrk," Shez nearly doubled over. "Did ya forget her name already? Isn't she related to you or something?"
Arawn shrugged. "Not in any way that's all too important, honestly. She is my father's cousin, so she is my… first cousin once removed. It is difficult to keep track of things such as that."
"Still important enough to allow us both to go on this mission, eh?" Shez asked, brow raised.
"It would appear so. Now, let us leave this place at once, before the shopkeeper dies of a stroke," Arawn said.
"But we still have so much we need to get!"
"And what would that be?"
"Well… something, probably," Shez replied.
"Let us talk outside," Arawn said, opening the door. "We need clean air."
"And you think you'll find that here? In this dump of a city?" Shez crossed her arms.
"I'd sooner smell fish than mold and death," Arawn said.
"Alright, out of the nice shop-"
"It was not a nice shop."
"-and out onto the great streets of- what was it? Warreth? Yeah, Warreth," Shez continued, nonplussed by Arawn's interruption. "So, sun's still shining. What did you wanna talk about?"
"You're nervous," Arawn stated, looking back to the shop's door briefly before turning to Shez again. "And attempting to stall."
"Me? Nervous? Nah, can't be me," Shez replied, chuckling to herself. "I mean, what's there to be nervous about?"
"Many things. Many, many things," Arawn said, sighing as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Look, Shez, we could take you back if you want. You do not have to come with us if you do not want to. What we are about to do, it is not a burden I would wish upon anyone, least of all someone I care about."
"Well, now who sounds nervous?" Shez asked.
"You, still," Arawn responded, brow twitching slightly. "You can hide it from everyone else, but you cannot hide it from me."
"This is what I get for making a thousand year old dragon my lover, I guess," Shez sighed, "nothing gets past your watch, huh?"
"Not much anymore," Arawn agreed.
"Well, yeah, I'm nervous. I don't usually shop more than I need to but with the amount of money the Church was paying me back during the war, well, I guess I kinda picked up a habit," Shez admitted, "I'll get over it. And I'm not leaving now. Definitely not while you're going off to who knows where."
"Shez-"
"No, you scaly dastard, I'm talking," Shez continued, brushing past Arawn briefly before turning around. "I'm not leaving, and you know why? Because you and I have a good thing going here. This is the first time in years that I… I have a family. And I'll not stay behind while they go back home or beat the crap outta a machine god or whatever it is we're doing. So, there. You hear me? I'm not going anywhere, no matter how nervous I am."
Arawn stood stock still for a few seconds, before he let out a few chuckles and turned his head away.
Shez tilted her head. "What's so funny? That speech wasn't that terrible, was it?"
"No. Not in the slightest!" Arawn replied, rubbing his eyes. "You do have such a fiery spirit, you know? I noticed it back then, and I can see it on full display now. It's near blinding at times. And it reminds me why I fell for you."
Shez blushed lightly, so much so Arawn imagined steam coming out of her ears, and he began laughing again.
"I was trying to have a moment, here! And you ruined it!" Shez cried out. "I demand compensation!"
"I'll be sure to leave a coin pouch for you once this ordeal is over," Arawn replied, "And Shez?"
"Yeah-?"
A quick peck on the lips interrupted her, as Arawn slipped by her, whispering in her ear as he went.
"Thank you."
A shudder went up Shez's spine as she hugged herself for a moment, completely cut off from the world around her before she realized Arawn was beginning to leave her behind.
"Oh, Shez…" she whispered to herself, with not a hint of remorse. "What've you gotten yourself into this time, idiot?"
"Do you think they're dead?" Liz asked, looking up at the sky.
Corrin turned to Liz with half-lidded eyes, her voice deadpan. "That's a terrible thing to say, Jelly Bean."
The gates of Warreth were soon to close for the night, with only a few merchants entering and leaving the great doors into the port city. Nobody Liz recognized walked into or out of the gates, and she tapped her foot against the grass impatiently.
"I know, I know," Liz mumbled, "Guess I'm just a bit jealous my sister-in-law is getting a fucking statue all to herself in some port city."
"Isn't she called the 'Savior of Warreth?' It sounds to me as if she did something to earn a statue," Corrin replied, tapping her lip with her forefinger. "Then again, maybe the people around here just really like her. Maybe that explains that birthday present that one time…"
Liz furrowed her brow as she cocked her head to the side. "What's this about a birthday? What?"
Corrin waved a hand. "It's not important. Some things are better left buried."
"Yeah, if we're talking about terrible things happening in the past, but what you're talking about sounds hilarious."
Shrugging, Corrin said, "I have to keep some of my secrets, shouldn't I?"
Liz snorted. "Fine, then. Keep 'em. We don't need me doubling over and laughing my ass off when we're up against Prometheus."
The smile on Corrin's face was wiped away at those words, as her expression became blank and she looked away briefly.
"Liz, do you know what we're going to do when we're there?" Corrin asked finally. "I have followed you this far. I just want to know if you know what you're doing."
Liz scoffed. "I was going to ask it nicely to leave us alone."
"Liz, I'm serious."
Sighing, Liz rubbed her face for a few moments before turning to Corrin. "I was actually hoping Alex would be able to help with that."
Corrin tilted her head. "I understand that we are going to ask for his help, but other than his skills as a warrior, what else can he do?"
"He's buddies with the king, or Exalt or whatever," Liz continued, "You have the Yato. That's a, what, a Fire Emblem, right? This place doesn't even have it under a different name; it's literally called the Fire Emblem. We ask Alex to ask the Exalt to loan it out to him, and the two Emblems combined, with this orb…"
"...you do not know what will happen with such power, do you?" Corrin asked slowly.
"Nope. Not a clue," Liz replied, "but it's better than hitting a god with a couple of sharp sticks, yeah?"
"It seemed to work out for its Vessel," Corrin pointed out.
"I mean, yeah, that thing was physical," Liz said, snorting. "And it was confined to a physical plane. We'll be fighting it on its own terms, in its own territory. We're gonna need the power of ancient good dragons for this."
"From several different worlds. I see," Corrin mumbled, "and what of the world we just came from? What of its Fire Emblem?"
Liz shrugged. "I didn't see anything like that there. You remember, most we could find was talking about some kinda 'Crest of Flames', but it wasn't physical. We need physical stuff for this. We can't take an idea of an actual emblem into this, you know."
"Sometimes I forget you're smarter than you let on," Corrin mused.
"I can be smart," Liz replied, "I just don't always think things through is all."
"And is this one of those times?" Corrin asked.
Liz shrugged. "Only one way to find out, Candy Corn."
Corrin sighed, her hands falling to her sides before one stretched out a grasped Liz's.
"You know that I love you, right?" Corrin whispered.
"Well, it'd be pretty stupid of you to travel with me like this if you weren't," Liz replied softly. "I love you, too."
Corrin kissed Liz's cheek, and a small, genuine smile crossed Liz's face before she saw four familiar people hurriedly rush out of the gates of Warreth. Despite looking a little dusted, They appeared to be in high spirits. Liz walked forward slightly, arms on her hips.
"Finally done?" Liz asked, "been waiting here forever."
"We thought we would annoy you by taking longer," Arawn replied. "It is only fair after what happened last time."
"That wasn't my fault and you know it, asshat," Liz said, sticking out her tongue briefly. "Anyway, are you guys ready? Got everything you need? Got your pacifiers and blankies to keep you warm at night?"
"Is she usually this crass or has today been a special day, Ashton?" Seiros asked. "I can barely understand her gibbering."
"You get used to it," Ashton replied succinctly.
"I can't get used to the way you talk and your accent," Liz said, "what happened to you, by the way? You sound all formal and crap, almost like a butler. You used to sound just like me."
"When you are a Knight of Seiros and consistently have to deal with the upper echelons of society, you quickly learn that a badly perceived accent won't get you very far," Ashton replied, hands behind his back.
"He still speaks to me as he used to. I enjoy it," Seiros said, smiling.
"Can we not talk of that here, in the middle of the road?" Arawn pleaded.
"Hurry, before he gets nervous and starts jumping at his own shadow," Shez asked.
Liz waved her arm. "Fine, fine! It'll take us about a week to travel to Ylisstol, but once we're there, it should be easy to find Alex and his friends. He's hardly quiet."
When Ashton beheld the city of Ylisstol, he wasn't expecting to see the remnants of battle all around its walls. There were rusted swords still jutting out of the fields that surrounded the city and pieces of broken armor. Clearly, whatever had happened there, they had focused on rebuilding the city itself rather than waste time clearing away the remnants of battle. On the other hand, Ashton saw no human remains among the broken weapons and crumbling armor.
He felt a chill up his spine at the sight of a half-buried mask nearby, but chalked that up to a nightmare he might have forgotten.
Before long, they were at the bustling gates of Ylisstol. Little remained of the battle scars Ashton saw in the fields nearby, but there was the occasional crumbling part of the wall, or blast mark from a spell of some kind. Other than that, it was almost like nothing had happened to the city at all.
"Alright, it's the middle of Summer, so he should be staying here regardless," Liz said as they entered Ylisstol proper, the eyes of the nearby guards on them as they moved into the streets. "He's either staying at their estate, or in the castle. And considering what time it is, he's probably in the castle. Maybe we'll get to witness some political intrigue, eh?"
"I have had enough political intrigue to last a lifetime," Seiros said.
"Or several, mother," Arawn chimed in.
Ashton shrugged. "I'm used to it. I don't see an issue. My only concern is that we won't be allowed in."
"Oh, I think a lotta councils are open to the public. It just matters whether or not we can push our way inside," Liz replied, "anyway, let's not waste any time, right? Shit's gonna go down if we wait too long."
She was right, Liz reflected. Alex was in the castle, speaking to the gathered nobles and Hierarchs of Ylisse. The group was able to push their way into the council chamber, thankfully, though Liz herself couldn't get a good look due to her height. She could hear well enough, however, and the occasional break in the crowd showed her that Alex was animatedly speaking. Near him, looking down on him, sat the Exalt. Liz has never seen the man, and she couldn't recognize most of the people that surrounded him.
Cordelia was there, though, sitting near the Exalt himself. While her face betrayed little emotion, Liz could tell she was hurting.
"...and you would have us gather our troops for another attack, Knight-Commander? All for this fairy tale?" a Hierarch in the western row asked, and Liz could imagine the bastard with a pin-needle nose and glasses. "So soon after Grima's defeat, and the sacking of our beloved nation, I am concerned for your health."
"Your concern is noted, but unnecessary, Hierarch Francis," Alex replied, his voice deep and commanding. "And remember: Grima was also a fairy tale. Once upon a time, he was nothing more than a story you told your children to keep them from acting rashly. And then he sacked our beloved country. I implore you, do not make the same mistake again. We must prepare ourselves! This creature is not to be taken lightly."
"We have seen no evidence of anything you described," another noble said nearby. "I see no reason to deploy excess troops in this climate. What of the other countries? What would they see if we mobilized our troops?"
"Ferox is still our ally," Alex stated, "and we both know Plegia is barely a country, even now. If we explained the situation to them, Ferox would understand."
"You have presented no evidence of this entity even existing," the noble replied, "I see no reason why we should risk a diplomatic incident when the country is still recovering from the war."
Alex marched forward, his footsteps echoing in the council chamber as the room suddenly became deathly quiet.
"Understand this, noble houses of Ylisse, and Hierarchs of her cities," Alex began, his voice like sandpaper. "I was charged with the protection of this country's people. Though I was not born here, I have come to see this land as my home. And I will brook no threats from outside, or within it."
"Sir Alexander, I hope that is not a threat that I have just heard," a Hierarch said, the same one from before.
"I am only making a statement. You may believe that a threat does not exist, but it does not mean it is not there. Incompetence and complacency cost us the capital once. I will not let that happen again."
"That's enough!" the Exalt suddenly shouted, standing up. "It is clear that this discourse has become too heated. I declare this meeting adjourned until all parties have had time to gather and conduct themselves."
Alex bowed almost instantly, and he turned and walked into the crowd. Before Liz caught him, she saw Cordelia with her face in her hands.
"Alex! Hey, hey, Alex!" Liz said, pushing aside several peasants before she grabbed her brother's iron hand. "We've been looking for you, you big dastard!"
"Not right now, Liz. My office, one hour from now," Alex said, his voice uncharacteristically soft, barely able to be heard from within the raucous council room.
Alex wrenched his iron hand from Liz's grasp, and disappeared into the crowd.
Ashton had heard from Liz that Alex had retreated to his office after the council, and he was prepared to join her, but unfortunately, fate had other plans. He and Seiros were accosted by a man dressed in a dark cloak, his eyes obscured.
"You are not from around here, are you?" he asked, his voice soft.
Guards and nobles passed them by in the great hall, barely giving them the time of day as they went out into the light of the afternoon. Ashton was used to such sights, of course, but having Seiros by his side, looking at the hooded man with indignance, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit to himself.
"Who are you?" Seiros asked, crossing her arms. "And by what right do you accost us like this?"
"Hmm. By no right. I simply wanted to have a friendly chat, you see," the man said, putting his hood down and revealing his stark white hair and red eyes. "It is not every day I see Outlanders appearing in the crowd during a council session."
Seiros' eyes widened marginally. "You were by the… the Exalt's side, yes? My apologies. This place, it makes me-"
"Nervous? I understand. I will never get used to these barking sessions," the robed man replied. "Ah, but where are my manners? My name is Robin. A pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to… meet you," Seiros replied, holding her head in her hands for a moment before turning to Ashton. "My apologies, my love. This place… it is even worse than Warreth."
"We will need to get some air, then," Ashton said, "my apologies, Robin, but we should cut this short."
"Is something wrong with your lover?" Robin asked, looking between the two. "I realize the council room can be a little stuffy. Perhaps you would like to follow me to the Knight-Commander's office? I would suppose that you were heading there anyway."
"How did you know we were going there?" Seiros asked pointedly.
"Because he is the only other Outlander here that I have seen besides you two?" Robin replied, a small smile on his face. "And what's more, you look a lot like him. Definitely not identical, but the family resemblance is there. And there were two young women who were following him who definitely were not his wife. It's all very strange, and I think I would like answers as well."
"There is no way we can convince you to not do that, is there?" Ashton asked.
"I'm afraid not. In fact, I insist."
Ashton sighed. "Very well. My name is Ashton Wright, and this is Seiros. Hopefully we get along after this."
"Wright? Ah, then it's confirmed," Robin nodded, "Good. Follow me."
Ashton heard the shouting before he, Seiros, and Robin even approached the door.
It was muffled, and he couldn't even make it two or more words, but it was there. By the side of the door stood Corrin, her back against the wall as she gently shook her head. Another woman stood in front of the door, her arms crossed as she stared down at the approaching trio.
She was slightly taller than Corrin, with red, loose hair that trailed down her back, and a large silver sword slung across her back, and she wore a mixture of gambeson and plate mail. Ashton felt Seiros shiver beside him as she looked at the sword across the woman's back.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," she said.
"Severa," Robin greeted, "why not? I can hear the shouting from here."
"Yeah, that's exactly why I don't wanna let you in, dork," Severa scoffed, "Dad and auntie are… having a disagreement."
The sound of something slamming against wood echoed through the hall, causing Severa to flinch.
"I haven't seen him this mad in a long time," Severa sighed.
"We need to talk to him and Liz," Ashton said, stepping forward. "It's urgent."
"And just who the hell're you?" Severa asked, her brows furrowing. "I don't know who you are, so you're definitely not getting in based on that. Second of all, didn't you hear what I just said? Nobody's getting in while they're that heated. This is as much for your safety as it is theirs."
Ashton held his arms out. "I have dealt with belligerent nobles for over seven years. I think I can handle an angry cousin or two."
"Cousin…? Oh, you're them," Severa said, going quiet for a moment. "Auntie was talking about you before she went inside. So, looks like three people got thrown out of their own world and into ours, huh? How unlucky."
Ashton looked to Seiros briefly before turning back to Severa. "Perhaps not as unlucky as you may think."
"I saw that look you gave that woman just now," Severa snorted, "This family keeps getting more and more fucked up the bigger it gets. I remember when I used to be all special and shit, being the daughter of an Outworlder. Now it's like everyone's one."
"Just you and my son," Seiros chimed in, "Although this 'Alex' didn't seem nearly old enough to have a child as old as you."
"I'm just gonna ignore that fact you called me old for both our sakes," Severa growled, "and really, it's a long, boring story about how I got here. Time travel, that's all I have to say."
Seiros' lips pressed into a thin line. "I see."
"Anyway," Severa continued, "I'm still not letting you in."
"Will you let me in, Severa?"
A woman with long red hair pushed past Ashton and Seiros, clad in golden plate armor and her head adorned with two wing clips. Severa's eyes widened marginally while Ashton tilted his head perplexed. It was the woman who sat beside the Exalt during the council, and who looked the most disappointed out of everyone there when it ended. Whether it was because of Alexander's antics, or from the complete rebuttal from the council, Ashton couldn't tell.
"Mom," Severa said, "are you sure?"
"We will not get anywhere unless cooler heads prevail," Severa's mother noted, turning to Ashton, Seiros, and Robin behind her. "Introductions will have to wait, my lord and lady. Allow me just a moment to speak with my husband."
"That means you too, Corrin," Severa said, looking over to the half-dragon who hadn't spoken since Ashton, Seiros, and Robin arrived. "No more eavesdropping for you."
"But I was getting comfortable…" Corrin pouted before standing up straight. "But very well. I leave this in your capable hands, Lady Cordelia. Just send Elizabeth my way if she storms out before you finish."
Cordelia nodded, before taking a deep breath. "Pray that I am even able to speak to her before then."
Alex placed his hands on the table as Liz paced back and forward in front of his desk, her face in her hands. Nearby laid an overturned chair, and the drapes on the nearby window had been pushed open haphazardly.
"I don't get it," Liz said, "I just don't get you, ya know? When I talked about it that first time we met up again, you were all for it! Now you're throwing a tantrum because you don't wanna go!? What sort of sense does that make!?"
"I have a wife and three children, and an entire country resting on my shoulders," Alexander replied, a deep growl hidden in his voice. "I… I have had time to think, since rescuing you, and even if the nobility doesn't see the signs, I do. Shit's about to go sideways, and I've done everything I can to make them see, but they're blind. Blind as bats."
"Well, you didn't exactly give them a lotta evidence, did ya?" Liz pointed out, stopping in her tracks. "You just threatened them all. I'm sure you have lots of friends with that attitude."
"More than you," Alex growled.
"Whatever," Liz replied hastily. "It doesn't matter. We'll go with or without you."
"So you'll, what, ask Chrom to give you the fucking Fire Emblem? Good luck," Alex said, crossing his arms. "Like he'd just give it to a stranger, even if you told him you're my sister. He wants to believe me, but appeasing the nobles is his number one priority since Ylisstol was fully rebuilt."
"It'd be great if we had a certain someone's help," Liz said, "unfortunately, he's being a bit of a pussy right now."
"Oh, go fuck yourself, jackass. Get out of my office."
"Aww, getting kicked out already? We haven't even broken the window yet," Liz groused.
"I said get out."
Liz snorted. "Fine. I'll give ya ten minutes to change your mind. If you don't, well, guess you'll never see mom and dad again."
"I made peace with that thirteen years ago," Alex said under his breath, as Liz opened the door.
"Yeah, what the fuck ever- Cordelia? The hell?" Liz said, causing Alex to look up.
Cordelia stood at the door as Liz made room for her to enter. Alex turned his head back to his desk as her piercing red eyes settled on him.
"Just give me a few moments, Liz," Cordelia said, "it won't be long."
"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever," Liz said, holding her hands up in surrender. "He's all yours, sister."
The door closed, and Alex was alone with Cordelia.
"I…" Alex said, pushing himself away from his desk. "It's getting stuffy in here. Let me open a window."
Before Alex was even halfway to the window, he felt Cordelia's hand grasp his right forearm, just above his iron prosthetic. It wasn't rough or demanding; he felt like he could easily shake her off if he wanted to, but still, he stopped in his tracks.
"Alex," Cordelia said, her voice low, "look at me."
Feeling his heart stop in his chest, Alex let out a shuddering breath and turned around, only to have a warmth in his chest reignite when Cordelia embraced him.
"You're scared, aren't you?" Cordelia whispered.
Alex sighed. "Yeah. I guess I am."
Slowly, Cordelia let go of Alex, but left her hands on his shoulders. "I understand that. Truly, I do. When you returned from that rescue mission, something about you changed. And what with today's display during the council, I think I finally understand what."
"I'm…" Alex began, "I'm scared of losing everything again. I guess it finally hit me while I was fighting again, but I could have died during that excursion. And that was just a minion. The thing Liz and the others are going to fight is the master."
"You won't have to worry about losing everything again, because I'm going with you this time," Cordelia said, taking a step back. "I'll be honest, I've been itching for the chance to get back into the fray. It has been painfully dull training the new recruits recently."
"A-are you serious?" Alex stammered, staggering back as if he'd been slapped. "What about Severa? Aiden?"
"Mother and father do an excellent job babysitting them," Cordelia said, "And if we are lucky, we will be home before we are expected back north. Please, love, give it a chance. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about where you came from, and this is our only chance! Besides, we have faced a god-like being before and lived. This time will be no different."
Alex sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "See, when you say it, it makes it seem so simple. This isn't like Grima. But… fuck, you're right. It'd be lunacy to pass this chance up. I just hope ten minutes haven't passed.
"If you hurry, you might reach Liz," Cordelia said, a smile on her face as she watched Alex move toward the door. "We both know how impatient she can be."
"You could have stood to wait a few more minutes," Corrin said as she followed Liz. "We're all already spread out. We don't even know where Arawn and Shez are."
"More of your friends?" Robin chimed in. "The woman with the light purple hair and the manakete with the dark green hair and eyes, yes?"
"Still following us, huh?" Liz said, turning around to address the robed albino. "I don't even know who you are. I mean, yeah, Ashton told me your name, but I don't know anything else about you."
"Well," Robin said, "I suppose it has been time enough for introductions. Apologies for my rude manners."
"I'll accept it if you tell me who you are," Liz replied with narrow eyes.
Robin bowed his head. "Very well. My name is Robin Daraen, Grandmaster Tactician of Ylisse and right-hand man to the Exalt himself, bless his name. And you must be Liz, my former knight's sister."
"I- okay, wow, I kinda wish you opened with that so I didn't just waste time walking down this corridor to talk to the Exalt himself," Liz said, scratching her scalp, before turning to Ashton and Seiros. "Why didn't you tell me he was so important!?"
"Because we didn't know. This is the first I have heard of it," Seiros replied, as Ashton shrugged.
Liz growled, trying not to outright snarl before turning back to Robin. "We need the Fire Emblem."
"If I had a gold piece for every time I have heard that sentence," Robin sighed.
Liz was about to retort before she heard footsteps behind Robin. She looked over the albino man to see her brother marching toward them, his outfit shining from the light through the windows.
"Well, well, well," Liz said, crossing her arms, "look who it is. Changed your mind?"
"Don't get snippy with me, Liz, not right now," Alex sighed, tilting his head to Ashton. "So, you got thrown out too, huh?"
Ashton pressed his lips together and nodded. "Fortunately."
Snorting, Alex said, "Well, good for you! So here we are, three dimensional vagabonds, all of us making our homes in these worlds. You already met my daughter and wife; they're getting ready to come with us, and I think Severa will be getting my son-in-law to come along, too."
"Oh shit, Kaze?" Liz said, "Well, a ninja could be useful. Let's just hope we-"
Just as Liz spoke, the entirety of Castle Ylisse shook as if the world beneath it had split apart. For several seconds, all those with the hall clung to the walls as if it was the only thing keeping them from skipping across the ground like beads inside a beanbag.
Before long, though, the shaking subsided, and wordlessly, Alex moved to the window to look outside.
"We need to get into the courtyard," he ordered. "Now."
I guess I couldn't help myself, huh?
Well, I think just up and throwing the whole weekly schedule thing was a good call, as the minute I dropped that and went at my own pace, I found that I was suddenly able to write again! Isn't that weird? So yeah, updates will be sporadic from now on, especially with college starting up again for me. Homebound will be the last chapter in the Saga of the Displaced, and once it's over, that's it. No more.
I say this because I have something else cooking that I'll be posting tomorrow morning, so, you know, look forward to that. It's not at all related to this, or anything else I have done, outside of being in the same fandom.
And with that outta the way, I guess it's time I started posting the link to our Discord server again, now that I've had renewed interest in this whole writing business.
Here's a link to our Discord server: discord. gg/u89gs745fn
Thanks to Stormtide_Leviathan for reading! If you're interested in Cyberpunk 2077 fics, be sure to check out his profile on Ao3!
See you guys next time!