Robin tossed over onto his side and stared at the window next to his bed. Rest did not come easily to him that night, the terrors that haunted him wouldn't leave him to his peace. He turned over once more and closed his eyes. After a short amount of time he reopened them finding it more difficult to sleep than ever before. He sighed and sat up, subconsciously running his fingers over the mark on his right hand.
Throwing the blankets off himself, he stood and reached for the coat that he had grown accustomed to wearing. A yawn escaped his lips as he slipped it on and exited his room. The young tactician silently slipped through the corridors and entered his office. He sat down and looked at the papers on his desk, he murmured a chant and lit a candle with a Fire spell.
Under the light of the candle he pulled out a report from the stack, and skimmed it over. Hmm… Another risen sighting? He then read over the paper attached to it, Frederick sent out a group to check it out but… There weren't any Risen? I'll have to look into this tomorrow. He felt another yawn coming on, and his eyelids grew heavy.
He couldn't explain it, but he knew this was not a natural tiredness. His limbs started to feel extremely heavy and he rested his head on top of his desk. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the window open, and then it went black.
"We have him," a voice said in hushed tones. Robin fluttered his eyes open but found it useless when he found it was pitch black in… Whatever room he was in. That was if it was a room.
"Don't worry, he's out cold and won't be waking up any time soon." Said another.
Robin heard murmuring from a third party but he couldn't quite make it out.
"Yeah, here we'll show you." Said the first one.
Quickly he shut his eyes and steadied his breathing. He heard some shuffling and then the door or whatever was keeping him in where he was open.
"Good," he heard the third one say, "as long as he's in excellent condition he will make a fine ransom."
His breath hitched, A ransome? I have to get out of here.
"No!" A fourth voice abruptly entered the scene.
"Enik?" The second one questioned the fourth one's -presumably Enik's, sudden lash out.
"We can't ransom him or else You Know Who will have our heads."
"Shit you're right… I dunno about this boss, what of the blasted Shepherds? They'll hunt us down once they realize he's gone." The third one mumbled.
Robin looked to his hands and then moved his foot a tad. He smiled once he was certain of it, they had made a critical error. He sat up and stared daggers into the men's eyes. "Oh they will hunt you down, and there won't be anything you can do about it. This, of course, is if you don't let me go right now."
"Tch," the first one scoffed, "you're chained up, you're in no position to make demands."
"Before we get started," Robin interrupted, "who's 'You Know Who' and why do they want me."
Three of them looked to the Dark Mage, who he guessed was Enik. Robin then scanned over Enik's clothes to try and pinpoint where exactly he was from. He took note of the intricate designs upon his cloak that reminded him too much of the Grimleal's.
"You are in no place to get answers from me," Enik hissed.
"How did you get me so easily and not be noticed by the hundreds of guards constantly on watch? A spell you cast perhaps?"
Robin didn't get a response, he then smirked, "Well, you won't give me any answers so I have to resort to this. One thing you don't do is allow light shine upon a thunder magic user."
Enik's eyes widened, "Shut the door you fools!"
"You made a mistake by chaining my hands in front of me," a spark in his eyes shined as his hand lit up with magic. "Hear me gods from the heavens and the storm lend me your power." He whispered the chant that he knew by heart, "Thunder!"
Before his kidnappers could close the door he blasted a hole in the side and caused the chains to break and free him. He reached down into his boot and pulled out a knife.
"You didn't tell us he could use magic without a tome!" He heard one of them cry out.
"My informants didn't tell me he was of this caliber!" Enik yelled back as he pulled out his own tome. Robin threw his knife at Enik, it hit his hand and he let go of the tome and cried out, gripping his impaled hand.
Robin quickly snatched the tome off the ground, "I call to the depths of the earth that have sealed away our torments. Ruin!" Once the spell was cast the three remaining collapsed to the ground, either unconscious or dead, he didn't care at the time.
He bent over to look at Enik, who was leaning against the wheel of the carriage they held him in, "I'll let you live, as long as you tell whoever sent you that they won't get their hands on me for as long as the Shepherds stand." Enik quickly nodded, then yelled out in pain once Robin pulled the knife out of Enik's hand and stuffed it back in his boot. He then unhooked one of the horses and hopped on, riding off back to Ylisse.
Robin slowed the horse to a stop after riding for at least 10 minutes. He looked to the Ruin tome in his hand and sighed, that was the first time he had used dark magic, and the fact that he knew just what to do irked him. He thought back, the terror on their faces when he used the spell against them, they were the faces of men who knew there wasn't any hope for them. Robin's face twisted into a deep frown mixed with sadness and disgust.
The tactician breathed out slowly, thinking over what to do with it, he then looked at it one last time and slung it as far as he could. During that moment he swore to himself that he would never use dark magic again. He took one final look as to where the book had landed, then looked ahead of him and continued on back to Ylisstol.
It must have been another hour our so until Robin saw Ylisse, from the look of it, his assailants had gotten close to the Plegian border, too close for his liking. He would have to report this incident but right now, he was too exhausted to do it. The Ruin tome had used up much of his mana, and now he was feeling the repercussions.
His vision became blurry, and his eyelids shut, causing him to nearly fall off the horse once he arrived at the gates of Ylisstol Castle. By the time the horse came to a stop the guards looked over the castle's walls in confusion. He spent so much energy using magic without a tome and the Ruin tome he was barely able to muster a word. The guards nodded at each other and opened the gate. Once he entered he saw the whole castle in an uproar, he heard Frederick barking orders, and Chrom calling for Robin. He hopped off the horse and pushed his way through the guards to get to Frederick.
Everyone stopped what they were doing when they took note of Robin's presence. "What the hell is going on," he yelled out in agitation.
"Robin!" He could hear the relief in Chrom's voice as he scrambled over to him. When Chrom stood before him he furrowed his brows, "Gods you look horrible! What the hell happened to you!"
Robin rubbed his temples, "Ugh… I don't even know where to start… Can we go somewhere more private?"
Chrom nodded and motioned Robin to follow him. Frederick followed in suite, but before he could go any further Robin shook his head. "No, Frederick…"
The knight shot him a glare but agreed to stay outside Robin's room.
Robin collapsed into a chair and let out a heavy sigh.
"So, what happened?" Chrom asked urgently, wanting to get to the bottom of it.
He ran his hand through his hair, "I couldn't sleep last night so I went over some reports… Next thing I knew I fell asleep and woke up inside a horse-drawn prison. I was able to escape though by using some magic without a tome. I stole a horse and made a break for it."
Chrom thought over what he said, "Wait you used magic without a tome?"
"Yes, the only reason you don't see me do that is because it not only drains your mana but taps into your life force…"
Chrom furrowed his brows, "Robin! I forbid you from doing that any further."
The other simply rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Honestly Chrom, what else was I supposed to do? Let them take me wherever the hell we were going? I had an opportunity to get out of there and I took it."
A moment of silence followed, and then Chrom finally spoke up. "Did you know who was responsible?"
Robin shook his head, "I knew who my kidnappers were and that they were hired by someone else. That's about it though…" Robin paused in thought, "Actually, he continued, "the one in charge of the mission was a Plegian dark mage. His name was Enik. And by the looks of his clothing… he was also a grimleal…"
Chrom hummed in thought, but before he said anything Frederick opened the door. "Frederick?"
"Lady Sumia wishes to see you." He said.
Chrom sighed and nodded, "Of course… We'll speak later, Robin."
Robin nodded and watched the door close behind Chrom after he left. As soon as he was gone he stood up and collapsed on his bed. He turned over to stare up at the ceiling. "I need to know more about the Grimleal," he mused to himself, "I doubt Ylisstol Castle's library has and deep secrets I can find so I'll have to do some digging at the marketplace… after I sleep for five years…" He turned over again and fell asleep.
Lucian had been sitting upon a ledge on Ylisstol Castle, a ledge that had been overlooking the courtyard. When she watched as Chrom and Sumia interact bellow she got a sense of nostalgia. She smiled to herself when she remembered all the memories she had when she was young and before the weight of the world was thrust upon her shoulders. She recalled playing hide and seek with her father and even though he knew where she was he would give up in finding her and she would surprise attack him. Or when he told her silly "secrets" and she would always giggle and smile, wanting to know more. Always more... those were the memories she longed to return to.
However, Lucina was brought out of her thoughts when she saw Sumia's face contort into a look of pain. Chrom looked to her in concern and said something that she couldn't make out. Sumia, with either joy, fear, or both, said two words that Lucina was certain of.
"It's time."
She watched as Chrom started to panic and called for help, then she watched as Frederick rushed to their sides and simply picked Sumia up and ran inside. She smiled, so what Aunt Lissa said was true. It was a special day, this she knew all too well. It was the day the firstborn to Chrom Lowell, -crown prince of Ylisse- would be born.
She then frowned, It's time for me to leave, as she stood up, she took one look back at the peaceful courtyard, then found her way down from her perch.
Before Lucina's departure from Ylisse, she had figured that she would need to first get supplies. In order to do so, however, she would need money, and currently her wallet was empty. She groaned, mentally kicking herself for forgetting that small factor. In her time currency was never an issue, seeing as the world was ending and they were just scraping by to survive. The only money she ever had was the sum that Khan Basillio had given her as reward for even entering as his champion.
Where am I going to get money? She questioned herself, looking around the crowded marketplace. She was pulled out of her thoughts once someone had bumped into her from behind, making her lose balance. She had nearly met the ground before she was pulled up by the very same stranger that had knocked her over. The person let go after she asserted her balance.
"Ah, I'm terribly sorry. I wasn't-" the man started, then stopped when she faced him, "Marth?"
Lucina's heart stopped. Oh. "Yes... And you are... Robin, correct?" Perhaps he doesn't remember. I may have hope yet.
He chuckled, "So you remembered…" He paused, then looked concerned, "Wait, if you're here does that mean something disastrous is going to happen?"
"What makes you say that?" She coughed nervously, if she knew anything about her father's tactician it was that he was a keen observer and a genius nonetheless. If he figured it out before in a drunken stupor then what's preventing him this time?
"Whenever you show up something big happens. So-"
She cut him off and shook her head, "No, you're not due until another 7 years or so. I'm just here to buy supplies. No need to raise alarm."
"That's good to know," he sighed in relief.
"Sir Robin!" Robin turned when he heard his name being called and saw a young messenger upon a horse riding in his direction with something in his hand. When the boy reached Robin he held out a scroll, "A message from Ferox."
Robin took it out of his hand, "Thank you. You can leave, go get some rest or something."
The boy nodded and turned his horse to leave.
Once out of sight, Robin opened it up and read it. He frowned, and rolled it back up then turned to Lucina, "I must take my leave, it was lovely talking to you again. Some urgent business has come up and I need to warn Chrom."
"Of course." She nodded and watched as he broke out into a sprint, once he was out of sight she turned on her heel and started forward. She then stopped and pinched her nose, I could have asked him for some spare money.
The sound of footsteps hitting tile filled the halls of Ylisstol castle, maids were rushing about in a hurried manner, and several guards were on high alert. Once Robin entered the castle he felt uneasy, if what the letter said was true, which he was certain Khan Flavia would not jest on such matter, then they needed the Shepherds now more than ever. The only problem was that he couldn't find Chrom. Why is everyone scrambling about?
He then stopped a maid that crossed his path, "Pardon me, Miss. Can you tell me what's happening?"
"You don't know?" The maid started, "Lady Sumia is in labor!"
Oh. He then watched as the maid scurried off to help. That puts a damper on things.
A/N: Wow okay I lied, this is short… I haven't had the energy to complete this chapter quite yet, besides there's just so much I have to cover in this chapter. So I decided to split it into different parts for the time being. Until the chapter is complete I will merge the chapters once more. Not only that but I've been hella busy with school. It's nearing the end of the year, I'm running for secretary, and I have painting class. Anyway here's wonderwall.
I've been meaning to touch on some magic headcanons, instead of a tome holding all the magic, each individual has mana, that's why the tomes "break". It's because they used up all their mana for that specific spell. If they use a different one it sort of "recharges" it. Here's a visual for you to imagine, a few containers lined up and on it the name of the tome/spell, that's how the mana works here.
Another thing, a thing I liked from the drama CDs was the grimleal had an attempt at kidnapping Robin, I decided to take that "kidnapping" theme and sort of… tweak it a little. (Who am I kidding I changed everything.) And then I took it too far and I realized I was getting away from the real subject that this chapter was suppose to go over and I became overwhelmed dreading it. So that's it. (This was supposed to be up four months ago.)
EDIT: Holy mother of all! Thank you all for following and favoriting this story when it's so early in development. Also I think this deserves so shoutouts.
Latteas: I know I initally took your review hard and perhaps said... hurtful things out of spite. But that drove me to better my writing to try and prove that it's not an "atrocity". So I suppose thanks are in order.
Exalted Fellblood: Thanks my dude, I really appreciate the kindness in your review. I really needed it.
and to the friends that supported me via skype: thanks for hanging in there and giving me advice. (What little advice you gave, at least.)
See you until next time ~EternalEpoch
