"Hiyah!" Lucina cried, her Falchion sweeping through the air and colliding with the cold steel of her opponent's sword. Both objects echoed throughout the stadium as thousand of eyes watched the swordswoman duel. Her opponent was a worthy champion from the far away lands of Elibe. He was covered in an all green plate armor and his helmet had a blue feather peaking from the top. Robin didn't know much about him, but he was clearly one of the more distinguished generals of his country. He didn't have any difficulty moving around in his heavy set of mail, and he was the first person the tactician had seen in a long time hold out against his wife in a fight.
…
"Go mom! Send him flying back to where he came from!" Morgan shouted, raising her fist in the air and cheering every time Lucina struck with a powerful attack.
Robin smiled seeing his hyperactive child's eyes fixed on the display in front of them, "Enjoying the show?"
"Yeah! Mom is incredible! I've never see her like this before." She replied memorized as Lucina dashed forward with her sword by her side. Her feet dictating the pace of the battle without the Elibean warrior able to do anything to respond. Everything about her movement was calculated and precise. She was never too close to be trapped, but always near enough to strike every time he lowered his guard.
There was no wasted energy in her strikes, and her sword gracefully flowed with her like an extension of her hand. A faint silverish-blue trail following her attacks with each careful blow. Its tip nearly touching the dirt before it was thrust forward in a violent uppercut swing.
"She's a fiery force of nature when she is serious." Robin remarked as her next blow sent the general whirling back. "And I never would want to be the one to make her angry, that is for sure."
Morgan noted Lucina's look of determination was significantly different from the almost playful and cheery attitude she had when she dueled her father. Instead, her mother looked like she could kill just by moving her finger. Luckily, Lucina's Falchion would never cut into someone that it's owner did not want to deliberately hurt. So every strike in the arena had the same effect as a dulled training blade.
"Gosh, and to think you would fight right next to her, surrounded by thousands enemies!"
Robin chuckled at her exaggeration and said, "I'll admit, it was hard to keep up with her at times. She could fight through everything, and it always amazed me what she could do. Then again, I have always been marveling at her." He grinned, watching Lucina crash her blade through the general's shoulder guard which sent vibrations through the man's mail like a bell. It would take more than a few hits to knock out her foe, but she controlled the pace and the tone of the battle. It was only a matter of time before the general started to feel the pain surfacing from his shoulder and for his movements to slow.
"YAY! Go mom! Hit em' again!" Morgan shouted while punching the air in delight. "Knock him out so hard that his grand-kids can't eat without putting their teeth in first!"
"Heh, aren't you forgetting something?" Robin snickered back.
"Huh?" Morgan said confused for a moment. "Oh yeah! And make it so he can't see your face without cowering in fear like a little itty bitty baby!"
"Well that too." Robin laughed and said, "However, you are supposed to be focusing on your training, remember? One of the best ways to learn the sword is to watch the greatest fighters and see what they can do. They have all perfected their styles, and each has their advantages and disadvantages."
"Hehe, oh right. I kind of forgot." The younger tactician said scratching the back of her head.
"Can you at least tell me what you notice different about Lucina's fighting style from your normal matches with her?"
She thought it over for a moment, watching Lucina dash forward with a sword swipe. The two warriors swords pinged together for a brief moment before Lucina circled behind and landed a square hit on his back. "Well for one, mom is awesome!"
"We already knew that." He teased. "What else?"
Morgan watched Lucina sidestep to her left, block a strong sword swing, and parry with her own. "Mom is really quick. I think she could even outrun me if she wanted to. Let's see, she is also low to the ground, which means she has really good balance. Oh! And I remember her telling me about the importance of spacing out the opponent. You never want to get too close or else it limits your mobility."
"Good, what else?"
"Um." Morgan searched her head trying to remember what she had been taught. "She makes every move look really graceful."
"Yeah, but do you know why?" he asked watching his wife set up her next attack. She had to correct her footing because she was used to him being next to her.
"Because it looks cool?" Morgan asked unsure.
He gave a faint smirk and said, "I suppose that is one way to look at it, but before I answer that, can you tell me more about how Lucina holds her sword?"
"Hmm? She holds it with two hands." She remarked back blankly before further inspecting her mother's fingers. All ten digits gripping the Falchion loosely, because holding it too tightly would limit the power of her swing. Morgan knew this already, so she wasn't sure what her father was trying to show her. As she peered away from the hilt and up to the sword, she noticed that her mother held her sword differently than normal. Her blade cut through the air at a slight angle instead of a straight clean cut. "Now that you mention it, she does swing her blade in a weird way sometimes."
"It's a type of deflection." Robin informed his daughter while pointing index finger at his open palm, "For instance, if I was to throw a ball at a wall, the wall would take the brunt impact and send the ball bouncing back to me. However, if I was to take that same ball and throw it at a slanted wall, the impact would be distributed differently and send the ball bouncing in another direction. It's the same for Lucina. By blocking with her sword at a slight angle, she is not taking the full brunt of the force from her opponent's sword. Some of that energy is deflected away which saves her from needing to put all her strength into blocking a blow head on."
"Oh, so holding it like that helps her from getting too tired during a fight." Morgan replied intrigued.
"Exactly, and can you tell me why that is important to her fighting style?" He asked while his wife chipped away at her enemy. Robin had to give him credit, he was holding on much longer than the tactician was expecting.
"Didn't you already say it was to save energy so she could fight longer?" Morgan asked confused.
"Yes, but this goes back to what I was saying earlier. Lucina could beat me every time in a fair sword fight. However, I can beat her in an arm wrestling competition." Robin said with some pride knowing he could still hold his own against her. "So Lucina knows that one of her weaknesses is the power in her arms. She makes up for it by deflecting attacks which saves her from costly sword locks. It also forces her opponent to exert more energy for a lesser result."
"I see." Morgan nodded. "How come you've never brought up this technique before?"
"Because it's usually the equivalent to wielding a glass sword. You are blocking some of the attack at the thinnest and bitter part of the blade, which means it will bend or eventually break. The only reason Lucina can get away with this on a regular basis is because Falchion will never wear or weaken. Knowing that, she can use it to her advantage. She has to be careful though, because if she deflects at the wrong angle she could be in trouble of the sword sliding too much up or down. Creating a whole mess of problems"
"That must have taken a lot time to get used to."
"Yeah, and sometimes it's safer to take the blow at full force, especially if the opponent isn't that strong. But like all things, once you practice it enough it becomes second nature."
The young tactician thought it over while scooting forward in her seat so she was at the very edge of it. "So when you two retire, I will be able to learn that technique too?"
Robin glanced back at the bronze sword that Morgan carried with her and said, "Yep. Hopefully you will never need to use the sword in real combat though. Also, there is one other thing that you need to keep in mind Morgan."
"What's that?" She asked curiously, her left knee rapidly tapping the floor with her attention half focused on the fighting below her.
He looked out to his wife with some regret and said, "You'll notice that everything Lucina does in her fighting style is to conserve her energy. She never overcompensates on a sword swing, she always takes the best path to her foe, and she is constantly thinking ahead to find the best approach. Just like a tactician might do. You see Morgan, food was scarce in her time, so she had to make every bite count. Wasting energy on the battlefield would be like wasting food. Not only did she have to fight off hoards of Risen, she had to manage how much strength she used while doing it. Her movements look so graceful, because they are the most efficient paths to take."
"Mom really is incredible." Morgan trailed off in awe.
He nodded and said, "Thankfully, when she came to this world food was much more plentiful, and ever since her fighting ability has increased that much more. Even now she is ten times stronger than the time she came to us in the desert. I'm much stronger myself, but when it comes to Lucina, she grew stronger than any of us because she had to. All the while keeping her kind and loving nature" He paused for a moment, reflecting on the past before smiling back at his daughter and saying, "We are very blessed to live with someone so special."
"Definitely." She agreed wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, the crowd cheered in response as Lucina knocked over her Elibean opponent with a clean strike against the chest. Her tired foe was not able to block the attack before it was too late. One ecstatic young tactician jumped out of her seat in excitement once she saw it.
…
"That was unbelievable mother!" Morgan cried energetically. After the fight, they met at the gates of the arena. Lucina had to fight off some people wanting an interview, but it wasn't long before she was reunited with her family; her daughter already rushing towards her when she came into view.
"Thanks sweetie, but it wasn't easy." She replied humbly. "My opponent was very strong, and formidable with his sword play."
"Yes, but you were stronger." Robin added.
Lucina smiled happily and glanced down at her daughter. "I also owe your father too. He was one that pointed out his weaknesses before the fight. Without him it would have been much closer. I fear the general might have bested me in half the time it took me."
"You never take credit for anything, do you?" Robin shrugged and said, "But how are you feeling?"
"A little tired, but nothing major." She replied while removing her gloves from her sweaty hands. "More importantly, did Morgan get a good look at the battle?"
"Yep!" She chirped. "Father showed me some cool things, and I got to see your amazing swordplay in action! It really was amazing mother, and it is even better than I imagined!"
Lucina' didn't know what to say as her bombastic daughter raised her fist triumphantly in the air. Handling compliments was not one of her strong suits, and her daughter seemed far too enthusiastic about a battle she nearly lost. There was three instances where she was sure she was open to an attack, and not having Robin there made her seem much more vulnerable. She could tell her footing was off because of it.
"Come on Morgan, settle down. Your mother is probably still recovering after the long fight."
The princess shook off her husband's worries and said, "No, really, I am fine dear. I am just now gathering my second wind."
"Still, we don't want you pushing yourself since you have another fight tomorrow."
"I know, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying the scenery." She said glancing at the many branching street around them. She saw a wide array of colorful carts and vendors selling all types of varying fruit. "This is the first time I've been to Plegia without needing to worry about watching my back."
"True …" He murmured knowing that the thought of Plegia used to heavily unsettle him too. "Alright, where would you like to go?"
"Hmm." Lucina paused for a moment, not sure about what to do and turned to the smallest of the group for advice. "What would you like to do?"
"I would like to hear more of the story!" Morgan said almost immediately.
"Ugh." Robin groaned, "I just told you some about an hour ago."
"Yes! But you left it just before the big fight at the end!" She cried back disappointed.
"Oh? Have we really gotten that far?" Lucina asked amazed that their tale managed to get to that point.
"Yeah, time sure does seem to fly." Robin added, surprised himself.
The princess smiled happily and said, "Alright, how about we finish up on Grima, and then we can take a stroll around the city. Sound good?"
Morgan nodded, and Robin relented knowing that Lucina seemed in a good mood. Although, lately, she always seemed to be in a good mood.
Her eyes gleamed despite the heavy fighting she was just in. While she did not know where Robin left off, she hoped Morgan would correct her if she repeated anything that she already heard.
I never left your father's side for the remainder of our free time. Even at the last moments, we shared a seat on a fallen tree branch while the rest of the shepherds prepared their equipment. It felt so strange, because it was so peaceful. In a matter of moments we would be thousands of feet in the air facing the greatest threat to humanity, but now, as I looked around with Robin by my side; everything seemed so peaceful and serene. I felt myself clinging to that peacefulness not wanting it to pass away.
…
"Almost ready?" Robin asked with our arms interlocked.
"Five more minutes, please." I replied weakly while squeezing his arm tighter.
He grimaced not wanting to leave either and said, "That's five more minutes longer it will take me to come back."
"... Must we go now?" I closed my eyes and lowered my head wishing we had a century longer to wait.
Robin surprised me by placing his hand under my chin and lifting it up until we were level with each other again. "Hey Lucina." He called out sincerely with a somber expression. "I know it's a bit of a strange question, but have you ever wondered about who came up with the idea for cheese?"
I scrunched my eyes and looked back at him funny. "What?"
"You know, the yellow stuff we eat."
"I'm well aware of what cheese is dear." I replied wondering about what strange thing was going through his mind this time. "But, what does that have to do with anything?"
"Oh, I was just curious is all." He murmured while looking up at the sky. "I mean, it is pretty crazy if you think about it. Did someone just decide to mix milk in a bucket over and over until it started to curdle with other stuff, or did they just forget about it and it accidentally happened? But, what sane person would try something that looks like old gooey yellow milk? Especially considering how bad milk tastes after a few days."
I raised my shoulders in dismay and said, "I don't have a clue. Although, I will never understand what possesses you to think such strange thoughts before a battle."
He paused for a moment, gazing at the clouds before saying, "Well, I was just thinking about how impossible it all seems that we are together. Never in my dreams did I imagine that I would marry a princess, let alone one from another time. So I started to think about other strange things that happened in this world.
"And your first reaction was cheese?" I asked in dismay.
He laughed and said, "You can blame Stahl for informing about his favorite 40 types of cheese. Although it helps takes my mind off of things." He nodded. "In moments like this, I want to forget about my problems and pretend to be a normal person for once."
"I doubt that normal people have these thoughts." I said unsure if the two of us could ever be considered normal. We were both going to be hopeless if we ever retired to civilian life.
"I suppose not." He murmured in deep thought. "But you're right. I really should be focusing on more important things. Like how I am going to get a penguin to fly for you."
My cheeks reddened as I said embarrassed, "You are still going on about that? I thought we agreed never to speak about that again."
"I never did any such thing" He laughed heartily. "Plus, I can just picture a flock of penguin soaring through the air. I'm sure they could out pace Wyverns if we trained them right."
"I was told it was a bird, okay." I defended myself while staring down at the floor. "How was I supposed to know any differently? There is a lot of strange things about this world I don't understand."
He nodded and his lips tilted down with a more serious tone, "Then I will show you the world once this is over. Every nook and crack of it."
"Robin …" I whispered breathless.
He leaned over and kissed me on my cheek, "Thanks love. I needed that." He sighed and relaxed a little. "Things have been so serious lately that it is hard for me to clear my head anymore. It doesn't help that I am scared out of my mind either."
"That makes two of us." I replied somberly.
He looked me back in the eye and said sincerely, "I know, but when the time comes, we will raise a whole flock of flying penguins together. I can see it now, their little feet waddling forward as they try to take off for their first mission. Just think of it Lucina. Once we train them enough they will be unstoppable warriors that can tackle sea, land, and air. Completely changing warfare as we know it."
"I just need you to come back first, Robin. We can worry about the penguins later." I whispered back wondering how we wound up having such strange conversations.
"Right." The tension in his shoulders eased despite the fact that I was suffocating his arm with mine, and a faint smile returned to his lips before he said. "Lets get this over with."
Hesitantly, I nodded back and said "... Okay."
…
Moments later Robin assembled our group of shepherds to signal that we were ready. Naga warned us about the coming danger, but it was finally time to end this. My entire life had led up to this moment, and it was finally coming. We would finally prove that there is no such thing as destiny or fate. The world would be what we made of it, and not because of some invisible force.
"Milady, we are ready to face him." My father called out in a commanding voice.
"Very well, I can send you onto the dragon's back, but the rest is in your hands. The fell dragon has a weakness on the nape of his neck, but that weakness will be guarded by his servants. Do not think he will allow you to reach it with encountering his full wrath."
"We know, and we are ready for him. One way or another this ends here!"
…
Next thing I knew, a bright turquoise light engulfed my vision as we were warped to Grima's back. The foul stench of his presence already engulfing my nose as my body felt weaker than usual. It was like fighting in a volcano all over again, but ten times worse as I felt my legs shake. My arms felt sluggish and my sword felt ten times heavier than normal.
"You wretched little beasts! How dare you place your feet on my back!"
The pure hate in his voice screeched through my ears in ways that made the world blur together. My feet felt like they were cemented to his scale back, and I was finding it progressively harder to breathe.
"Augh!" Robin coughed uncontrollably next to me as he covered his ears. The tattoo on his hand burned a bright violet glow and I could tell he was in tremendous pain. All the color had faded away from his face, and there were dark spots forming on his arms.
"Robin!" I shouted, but he couldn't hear me. He was lost in whatever torture Grima was placing on him and there was nothing I could do to help. That felt worse than any suffering Grima was trying to place on me.
Whimpering, Robin fell to his knees with his eyes forcefully closed shut. Sweat pouring from his face like it was a river.
"Hrrngh! *Huff, huff* ...Wh-what... What manner of magic is this?" My father whispered in agony. It was only then I realized that all of us were struck by this taint of Grima's. With Robin suffering the most from it.
"Hahaha! And so it ends, Robin. See how frail these humans bonds of yours are? How short lived? How pointless? You have all thrown your lives away, and the result is the same!"
"We're … not dead yet!" Robin spat out, while he coughed out in misery
"Detail, details." Grima sighed annoyed. "But yes, I suppose it's time I got you all off my back, so to speak—permanently."
"No…" He whispered fighting back everything inside of him.
"No, you don't want this, do you? You do have a choice, you know. It doesn't have to be this way. You can still save all your friends... Become one with me, and we shall spare their lives. ...Refuse, and watch as I rend the flesh from their bones!" He replied smugly, openly taunting him.
"Ennnng!" Robin clutched his chest as a new wave of pain overcame him. "D- … do you." He winced as he placed a hand on the ground to act as support.
I desperately tried to reach out to him, but my body would not move. It was like my life had been drained to the very core. I tried over and over again to tell him I was there for him, but nothing came out. Never had I felt so helpless in my life.
"Do you honestly." He heaved, the raspiness of his breathing echoing from him. The fabric of his cloak soaking wet as he formed a fist. "B-belive that will …. be enough?
"Robin..." I whispered seeing him wipe the blood from his mouth.
"You … underestimate us." He said, suddenly gagging in agony as Grima tried a second time to silence him. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was coughing up violently now. The veins in his skin bulging out a dark grayish color with his fingers pruning up. "You … underestimate all of us."
Just looking at him forced me to move towards him. I could not bear it to see him like this any longer. Using every ounce of energy in my body to move I inched forward. Each step bringing me closer to him as he fought Grima's grip. I had to help him or I would never forgive myself. Despite the incredible pressure holding my legs down, my feet slowly trudged forward. If Robin was strong enough to fight off Grima's grip, then I would be too.
"Heh." Robin smirked, holding himself together despite the black aura surrounding him. "Chrom, Lucina, and everyone else here. They … erggg … They are all stronger than me. A thousand times stronger." He shouted, picking himself up from the ground, albeit slowly. "What chance do you have against them?"
"Pah! You call these worms strong? Don't make me laugh. "
"Funny." Robin grimaced as he balanced himself using his sword as a cane. He was clutching it with all his strength for fear of falling over again. "I was going to say the same to you. A little bug like me is nothing compared to the might of those around me."
"Robin, don't say such things." I cried out, fearing for his well being. "You are one of us, you always have been."
His smile returned seeing that I was safe and he stood up more upright to face Grima's shadow. "You lost the moment you tried to play this game. To think that someone as weak as you could try to break our spirit."
"You call me weak?! You are the ones who are powerless! Frail! Insignificant! You are NOOOTHING to me!"
"Then go ahead, do your worst! I dare you!" Robin challenged unafraid. "You may try, but you will never break the backs of those around me. They are a thousand times stronger than you will ever be."
"Enough! If you won't shut up, then I will have my Risen make you."
"What's the matter, not able to do it yourself?" My father shouted, he too recovering from the attack.
Agitated, Grima's summoned heavily armored Risen around us. Each one looking far stronger than what we faced in the past. Grima's human form then retreated to the weak spot at his neck, and in his absence a bright green light engulfed us. Instead of transporting us away, it reenergized us from Grima's life drain.
"Children of man, take my power! Rise now, and face the fell dragon!" Naga's voice echoed from above us. Within moments our party was back to its old self, and we were ready to kill Grima with our bare hands if necessary.
...
"Everyone! Hurry! Protect Chrom at all costs and keep moving forward!" Robin commanded, still light-headed after the welcome from Grima. "We can't afford to be overrun by Risen. Just keep moving forward even if it means you have to run through them!"
Without hesitation, The shepherds formed around my parents while a smaller group met up with us. Stahl, Cherche, Gregor, Lon'qu, and Kellam would serve as our guards as we plowed ahead. Meanwhile, the Risen groaned and clacked their teeth as they charged towards us with more and more bodies forming behind them.
"It's Gregor time!" He shouted smashing his hammer through two enemies in front of us to clear a path. We did not have the luxury to deal with every Risen approaching us. Instead we needed to avoid as many as possible by dodging their attacks while running behind enemy lines.
As for my father's group, they formed a defensive shell with him leading the charge. As Robin predicted, the majority of spawning Risen rushed to his position knowing the danger that my father's awakened blade could cause. Those who met him face-to-face would feel the sword's power up close.
...
"Lookie here Minerva. We have some new toys to play with." Cherche smiled, her wyvern screeching in approval. She used her large talons to pick up and throw two Risen beasts while Cherche's heavy axe cut clean through another three.
As for Robin and I, we never stopped running. Risen charging at us in one moment would suddenly be hit by an invisible force sending them flying back. Those that tried to swing their weapons would find their blades stop short as Kellam's armor tanked through their attacks. *Sigh* "Is is really that hard to see me? Maybe if I held a sign it would help … "
From the distance away, you could hear the sound of lightning, fire, wind, and dark magic cracking the atmosphere. Volleys of arrows from Noire and Virion piercing the air and hitting their targets with hawkeye precision. Our warmachine marching forward, holding the line and dishing out heavy hits.
…
"Rrrrargggh!" Two scarlet eyes glowed as they lunged in front of Robin.
"Hiyah!" I cried, slashing my blade through the monster's stomach. My parallel falchion tearing through the flesh and transforming it into purple smoke clouds.
"Thanks Lucina." Robin muttered, concentrating on moving ahead. We were over half way to Grima's head, and it became more difficult to avoid fights the further we sprinted forward. Another thing that stayed with us was the horrible stench of Risen's vanishing bodies as the air became progressively more tainted with purple dust.
"There are so many of these things, I can't see past them anymore." I grimaced, knowing that the Risen would swarm us in an instant if we made the wrong move.
"Just a little longer. We're almost there." Robin replied while dodging a sword attack from one of the countless Risen we were sprinting past. At this point, we could only hope that Gregor and our friends could keep them occupied. There was simply too many of them that we had to ignore if we wanted to end this quickly. We also had no way of knowing how long Chrom's defensive shell could last before injuries started to pile up.
…
"You Fools. Do you really think you can defeat me? ME?" Grima shouted mad with anger as his voice echoed. "You cannot slay what will never die!"
"We will see about that." Robin countered with his sword at the ready.
I gritted my teeth in disgust to see Grima up close. How he occupied the husk that once held a great man from my time. Now, his body had been sapped away and replaced with this creature of hate. His brown and kind eyes, the sweet smell of his cloak, the warm glow in his skin; all corrupted by the abomination inside. It was clear that the figure in front of me was nothing like the Robin I knew. He had died long ago to this wicked demon. "I lost to you once, monster. I shall not lose again! Die now, that our future can live!"
"Hollow words from a hollow girl." The dark dragons replied, the purple and black flames around him growing stronger. Let's see how you handle this: "EXPIRATION!"
"Lucina! Get back!" Robin yelled running at full sprint to me. He tackled me to the ground as spears of black magic rose from the ground. They narrowly missed us as they erupted from the place we once stood."
"Close one, but how much longer will your precious pet last before she too is ripped apart?" Grima taunted while sending a volley of magic at us.
"... That you would dare call her a pet shows how ignorant you are of this world." Robin yelled angrily.
Grima hissed and raised his hand at Robin, "It is you who is ignorant you ungrateful piece of flesh. You WILL heed me!"
"Augh!" Robin grasped his head in pain as he nearly fell to the ground. Only his sword was able to keep him propped up as his eyes rolled back. A black spike had struck him in the stomach and left him in great pain .
"Robin! No!"
"You see little girl? You see how powerless these sacks of water are? Your hopes for a better future are based on a bunch of weaklings and a traitor. Even now, your father lies dead behind you!"
"Liar!" I shouted back not willing to believe him. "My father would not give up so easily, and neither would Robin! The fact that you stole his body is enough reason for me to kill you where you stand!"
"Stole? HA! This body begged for me. It's host was all too eager to take my power for himself. A fate your precious husband knows all too well."
"Lies! Nothing but lies!" I shook my head and braced myself to fight him off. I wouldn't let him soil our tacticians name any further.
"And you! Your entire life has been nothing but running away and cowering in fear! That is the only reason you are still alive today my dear princess."
"Would you … kindly shut up." Robin grunted and tore the sharp spike away from his skin.
"Hmm? I see you haven't had enough." Grima replied annoyed.
The dark dragon zapped him, with the electricity cracking in the air. "Ennng. That. won't. work." He rose, gripping his sword tightly and yelled. "Nothing you do will work against us!"
Grima's face became more agitated by the second and said, "Will you die already?! How hard can it possibly be to kill a bunch of idiots?!"
"... If we are idiots, then what does that make you?"
Filled with undying anger, Grima shouted at the top of his shrieking voice, "Enough! Let's not waste anymore time. I will kill you now!"
"Funny. I was going to say the same to you!"
"RRRRarrgh!"
"Haaawww!"
"HIYAH!" I stabbed the dragon's gullet with all of my strength. Black ooze pouring from the wound that Falchion cut clean through.
For a moment Grima was caught off guard by the pain emanating from him. Giving Robin a chance to follow through with his own attack.. "You?! You DARE strike me! Impossible!
"Nothing is impossible!" I shouted mimicking Robin's words. "It's time for us to change our fate!"
"YOU naive little girl.. You will not … AUGHH!" Grima shrieked in pain as a bright orange sword plunged itself into Grima's side.
"Did you forget about me?" Chrom said annoyed.
"Father!" I cried out.
"Chrom!" Robin's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled back with a sly grin and said, "I couldn't let you two share all the glory, now could I?"
"That's right! A queen has to do her part too!" Sumia beamed as she swept down.
"ENOUGH! I am tired of these petty games! Prepare to feel my wrath!"
Chrom shook his head and said, "That's the problem with you. You are all bark and no bite."
"Bite?! You want me to bite? Very well!" Grima lunged forward and fixed his eyes on Chrom. His dead stare haunting my father to the very core.
"Oh no you don't!" Sumia cried as she pounded Grima in the face with her trusty spear. The sheer force of my mother's attack sent Grima plunging to his back. "NO ONE lays a finger on my husband except me! YOU GOT THAT?!" She shouted louder than the dragon himself. "If you ever try that again I will send your thousand-year-old dragon ass back to the black hole it came from! Once I am through with you I will kick you so hard in the nuts that you can never have any children revive you!"
"S-sssumia." Chrom stuttered in horror at her choice of words.
"... So this is where Cynthia got her stories from" I whispered in awe. I had never seen a scarier sight that the ferociousness in my mother's eyes. All this time I had worried for my father's safety seemed silly when compared to the hidden power my mother held.
"Im-impossible!" Grima mummured wide eyed. The dragon not able to process the ferociousness of my introverted and reserved mother.
"The only thing impossible is you winning here!" She shouted back wildly with raw power.
….
"Hmm? What's this?" Robin asked quizzically as he stared at the nape of Grima's dragon neck. He managed to sneak over there with the time that my mother kept the baffled dragon occupied. "Could this be the weak spot we are looking for? Oh, and it is unguarded too. how convenient" He replied smugly.
WHAT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
Robin looked back to me with his tender eyes, apologizing for what he was about to do. He sighed, one last time before turning to Grima and saying, "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same. Now I can pay you back for all the kindness you showed Lucina and her friends in her time."
...YOU WOULD NOT DARE!
"I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable... In some way, I—we share the blame. So it is time to see those evils cleansed."
"Robin, wait!" Chrom called out trying to stop him, but it was too late.
I held my breath watching Robin drive his sword through Grima's exposed neck. He summoned all the energy inside of him with the attack, and a bright orange glow escaped from Robin's exposed skin. "Say goodnight you good for nothing bastard."
"...NNGH...AAAAUGHHH… NO! I will ... take you … with ...m-"
Black smoke engulfed my vision as a huge gust of wind rushed at us. I had to shield my eyes from the sheer force as it tried to push me back. Next, a bright golden light shot up into the sky, the beam shining up to the heavens.
As the dust settled, I saw the lifeless corpse of Grima emitting black smoke from the many wounds we inflicted on him. The Risen around us also vanished away into purple mist. I held my hand close to my heart fearing that Grima would try one last time to get up. But he never did.
"Hold steady adventurers." Naga voiced soothed us as she confirmed we succeeded. "Allow me to transport you back to solid ground before you fall out of the sky."
...
A bright flash of green transported us away back to solid ground. A peaceful green meadow that was left untouched by our fighting in the sky. Even better, from my view-point, I could see Grima's dragon form crash into the side of the volcano. It's impact causing the ground to tremor.
"We … we did it." I whispered as I stared at the volcano in wonder. "Robin! We did it! Gods. We actually did it! The world is safe now! I can hardly belie-" I stopped, frozen solid as I saw his body slumped over on the ground. Immediately, I rushed towards him and knelt besides him.
"Ennng." He groaned.
"Robin, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"
He glanced back at me, his eyes dimming as he said, "Lucina I … I feel really light-headed."
Holding my breath I said , "You probably need rest. We've put you through far too much."
"Rest …" He whispered finding it difficult to concentrate. "No … I can't rest. Not yet. I made a promise to you."
"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked alarmed.
"Lucina, I … Eng, I …"
My eyes widened in horror as I saw Robin's body slowly become transparent. The outline of the grass beneath him showing through his chest. Immediately, I grabbed his hand to make it stop, but his hands slipped away from my grasp despite my desperate attempts to hold them .
"No Robin! Don't you dare leave me now!" I cried hysteric. "Not after everything we've been through!
With his appearance vanishing right before my eyes, he opened his mouth to tell me something but no words escaped. Only the motion of his lips moving up and down in a noiseless gesture to say,
"I love you."