Chapter 18

It didn't take very long for the Shepherds to reach Valamese shores, arriving at the port early in the morning. They were able to gain an early advantage for once, catching the Soldiers stationed there off guard, expecting a victorious Valamese fleet to be returning to their port instead of the Ylissean and Feroxi army. Thanks to their own quick thinking to seize the opportunity, and surprise reinforcements from a mysterious Swordswoman named Say'ri, it didn't take long before the port was theirs. Nathan approached Say'ri following the battle, along with Chrom and Basilio, to ask her just who exactly she was.

"Hey you!" Basilio snapped, "Get over here!"

Nathan rolled his eyes. "We're just trying to learn why she helped us, we're not trying to make her feel like a prisoner…" He muttered to the man.

"Yeah, but we've gotta intimidate her! Show her whose boss, so we can really get some good information out of 'er!" Basilio emphatically replied.

"…Right. I'll do the talking, you stand and look intimidating, okay?"

Say'ri smiled as she approached, offering a hand to Nathan, which he shook. "It is a pleasure to meet you, leaders of the army from Ylisse. I am Say'ri, and I am the leader of the resistance here in Valm."

Chrom raised an eyebrow. "There's a resistance here? Against the Conqueror?"

Say'ri nodded. "Aye. We are few, and have been scattered by the Conqueror's warriors, but your arrival here could be just the thing we need to tip the scales in our favour."

Basilio laughed heartily at the woman. "What luck, the resistance leader being chased right to where we arrived! Looks like things are starting to go our way!"

Nathan frowned. "Maybe they are…but I can't help but feel a bit skeptical about this. If you're their leader, why are you here all alone? Shouldn't you at least be with some people from your group?"

The swordswoman shook her head sadly. "I have struggled to create a unified resistance. We exist in pockets, and are all looking for freedom, but on our own terms. Many also consider me to be untrustworthy due to my own brother being a leader in Walhart's army…"

Chrom's hand quickly reached for his sword, before Basilio held his hand in front of him to hold him back. "Hold on, boy. Let's hear her out before we lose our cool, alright?"

"That's something coming from you…" Nathan muttered to himself.

Say'ri continued. "My brother, Yen'fay, has sided with Walhart. He was a good man once, but he is no more than another imperial soldier to me now. If we met on the battlefield, I would not hesitate to cut him down. However, Walhart is said to command a million soldiers, if not more. We must act quickly or he will stamp us all out entirely…"

Chrom nodded. "This does pose a threat, but we have our own problems…I have a future to save along with a kingdom to protect. However…perhaps the best way to achieve our mission is to help your cause."

The swordswoman smiled brightly. "Thank you, Milord. Now then, our best shot at uniting our people lies in freeing Lady Tiki…"

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise at Say'ri's idea. "Lady Tiki? As in…THE Lady Tiki, the Manakete who was a close friend of the Hero-King, Marth?"

"Aye. You know of her?"

"I've read some things about her…" Nathan muttered.

Say'ri nodded to him before continuing. "Since ancient times, our people have worshipped Naga. More precisely, we worship her Oracle, Lady Tiki. Around here, she is more commonly referred to as the voice. She is currently trapped as Walhart's prisoner, confined in her sanctuary up in the Mila tree. Perhaps if she were freed…"

"…The resistance would unite around her." Basilio finished. "So? What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Not long after, the shepherds had begun marching on their way to the Mila Tree, carrying their supplies with them from off the ships. They had been able to purchase a few caravans while at the port, but the rest of their things had to be carried. Nathan talked with Morgan and Lissa for a while, before pulling Chrom aside for a brief chat.

"…Hm? What is it, Nathan?" The Exalt wondered.

"Well, I've been thinking…" Nathan told the man, "And you know how Lucina was talking about the other people from her future? Well, I think chances are they'll all be around here in Valm."

Chrom raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Okay, but why do you think that?"

"Well, if I were these kids, I'd be looking for us, right? And if they made their way to Ylisse at any point, they'd just get told to come to Valm if they wanted to find us."

The Exalt rubbed his chin for a moment before nodding. "That sounds…plausible. So, say they're here…how do we find them?"

"Well, if people are being attacked by Walhart's men, and they're anything like their parents, they'll help defend them. So I guess you could say that I think that by helping Say'ri and the others, we should be able to help our own cause in the process. These kids shouldn't be too hard to find once they catch wind of Chrom and the shepherds tearing through Ylisse."

Just then, Frederick trotted over to them on his horse. "Milord Chrom, and Grandmaster Nathan, a nearby village is being ransacked by bandits! Our Pegasus knights spotted it up ahead, and say there is a lone swordsman trying to defend the village…"

Nathan turned to Chrom with a smug grin on his face. "So, I'm totally a genius, right?"

Chrom rolled his eyes with a bit of a chuckle before turning back to Frederick. "Tell Say'ri we'll be taking a brief detour to this village." He instructed. Frederick nodded before trotting off.

The Exalt turned to Nathan with a grin. "Now, the real question is, whose kid is this?"

The tactician grinned sheepishly. "I'm not sure if I should be hoping it's mine or not…"