Chapter 23

Nathan stood still, tome in hand, staring up at Gangrel, who was laughing maniacally at the way the situation had played out. He looked ahead of them at the undead archers standing before him, their bows pointed up at Emmeryn.

Nathan's plan had initially gone off without a hitch, with the shepherds successfully infiltrating the courtyard of Plegia's castle with the help of two new recruits, a Monk named Libra, and a Plegian mage who defected to their side named Tharja. Basilio and Flavia had rescued Phila and her Pegasus knights to go and rescue Emmeryn from high atop the stone cliff.

However, Aversa, Gangrel's subordinate, summoned a swarm of risen archers, who shot down and killed Phila and her Pegasus knight team. All of a sudden, Gangrel was in control again.

Gangrel looked down towards the shepherds standing in his courtyard, and addressed Chrom.

"I believe this is what they call a…'reversal of fortunes'." The mad king sneered. "Now then…grovel before me, and beg for your worthless lives!"

Chrom's hand tightly gripped falchion as he started to inch forward. "I'd give up my life before I beg it from you," He growled.

Gangrel let out a sickening laugh. "Oh, that is a good line! A fitting epitaph for your tombstone, perhaps? But regardless, you do forget that I have bows trained on your precious sister. If any of you so much as move a muscle, I'll give them the signal to let their arrows fly. Now then, who wants the honour of killing the exalt?"

Gangrel laughed yet again as the shepherds stood helpless, frozen in place. "Eyahahaha! This is perfect, isn't it, Aversa?" He called out to his assistant, who grinned mischievously, nodding her head.

The mad king then continued his speech. "Now then, to be fair, no one needs to die today. Just lay down your weapons, and give me the fire emblem, and I'll return your precious exalt unharmed," he sneered.

Chrom hung his head. "…I…" He began, before Nathan called out to him.

"CHROM! We can't trust them!"

"I know! I'm not an idiot! But if I say no, he'll kill her!" The prince then sighed in defeat. "This is a problem with no right answer, yet I have to choose…"

"No, this is not your decision to make, Chrom." A voice called out. Nathan and the others looked up to Emmeryn, who addressed them from high above on the small cliff from where she stood. She then turned to Gangrel.

"Is there no hope you will listen to reason?" The Exalt asked.

Gangrel glared back at the woman. "You mean, even more of your sanctimonious babble? I think not. All I want to hear is a THUNK of arrows, and a SPLAT as you hit the ground! That is, unless SOMEONE is willing to hand over the fire emblem, NOW!"

Chrom then quickly called out to Gangrel. "FINE! You win…" He then looked up to his older sister. "Emm…I know you won't approve, and perhaps a crisis will come up when we need the fire emblem, but the people of Ylisse need you today! If dark days will come of my decision, then we will face them the way we are meant to; together."

Emmeryn looked down upon Chrom with a pained smile. "Th-thank you, Chrom." She uttered. "I know now what I must do."

Emmeryn took one last long look at the sky before beginning to step towards the end of the cliff.

Frederick moved to try and hold back Chrom, but he took off before he could grab him, running frantically across the courtyard, his hand stretched out in vain. Lissa moved to go after him, but Nathan wrapped his arms around her, holding her back, as he stared in pain up at Emmeryn, who now stood on the very edge of the cliff.

She put her arms together, as though she was praying, and leaned forward, falling from her perch.

Lissa screamed in agony, crumpling to the ground, out of Nathan's grasp. The tactician knelt down and pulled her into a hug as she cried. Nathan and the others looked to Chrom, who now stood over the lifeless body of his sister, staring in shock. He fell to his knees in front of her, and buried his face in his hands.

"Emm…" He whimpered, holding back tears.

They had lost.