Hello!

...Anyone still here? Sorry about the huge amount of time between updates. I got a bunch of new games, then kinda forgot about Fire Emblem for a while. But then... I played Awakening for an hour and suddenly... I felt like writing. A lot. So... Here's to weekly updates! I'm going to do my level best to post a new chapter every weekend. But now, the one you've all been waiting for...

Onwards!

Chapter 12

The sun glared down at the Shepherds. The Plegian desert had been harsh and brutal, and Kit knew that the Plegian forces awaiting them would be even less forgiving. He managed to give Lissa an encouraging smile, which she returned just as wearily.

There was a call from Frederick. Kit set his gaze on where the knight shakily gestured with his lance. Kit saw a horrific monument- a towering skull stabbing out of the ground. It was no human skull- the snout much too elongated, the teeth too long and pointed. It had three eye sockets on the side Kit could see, and they all glared at him.

He could feel the hostility.

He knew he was on enemy ground.

When he finally tore his focus away from the twisted thing, he finally realised the worst part. Lissa choked back a sob. Chrom cursed. Ricken visibly flinched at the sight. The other Shepherds reacted with weary fear and anger.

Emmeryn stood at the tip of the skull. An axe-wielding Plegian stood behind her.

Kit gritted his teeth. He gestured for the Shepherds to halt. The dunes just about shielded them from the waiting Plegian soldiers surrounding the monument.

"Why are we waiting?" Lissa asked, frantic. "We need to help Emm!"

"Patience, Lissa." Kit reassured, seeing Lissa's expression. "They won't kill her now. Gangrel wants something. But, if my plan works, we'll be able to escape. Easily. With Emm."

"A- Are you sure?" Lissa asked.

"Yes. Stay strong, Lissa." Kit gently put an arm around Lissa's shoulders in comfort.

There was an agonising minute of waiting.

Then:

"FOR YLISSE!"

The mighty cry echoed throughout the desert, causing all Plegian troops to look. Many retreated at such an imposing sight. The entire Ferox army, resplendent in armour, marched through the desert towards the Plegians. Leading them were two figures: a woman in red armour that Kit recognised as Khan of Ferox, Flavia. The other was a large man with a hammer- the other Khan, Kit guessed. They were total opposites, but each was a fearsome sight in their own way.

A single thrown axe from Flavia was enough to cut down the guard behind Emmeryn. The Exalt turned in surprise, then stared down at the Feroxi army waiting to rescue her. She smiled, daring to hope that she might yet escape alive.

The rest of the Shepherds' courage was reinvigorated by the sight of the Feroxi army overwhelming the Plegians in a wave of blades. Kit held his arm out, pointing towards the base of the monument. A Plegian general stood there, halberd stood to attention beside him as he gripped it tightly, surrounded by Plegian warriors. As one, without the need for command, the Shepherds attacked.

Kit quickly moved to stand beside Lissa as they charged into the fray. They both felt better with each other's support. As the Shepherds battled the Plegians, Lissa darted to the wounded to quickly heal them, and Kit, thunder tome in hand, blasted away the soldiers that got too close.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kit noticed another fighter. A priest, seperate from the Shepherds, was fighting off the Plegians with a large, brutal-looking axe.

"Frederick!" He called to the large knight. "Protect Lissa!" As the blonde moved close to Frederick, Kit rolled under a Plegian's blade and sprinted for the axe-wielding priest. Drawing his blade, he parried an attack that was aimed for the priest's head, stabbing the Plegian after. He cut down another couple, and received a few scars for his trouble.

When the area around them seemed calm enough, he turned to the mysterious priest. "Who... Are you?"

He smiled. "Simply a war monk, dedicated to fighting for Naga. I rushed here to help the Exalt. I thank Naga for the fact I made it in time."

"Will you help us?" Kit asked. "We're fighting to save the Exalt as well."

"Then let those with common goals join forces. I am Libra. May I know my new leader's name?"

"L-Leader?" Kit spluttered. "I'm no leader."

"Really?" Libra asked, puzzled. "But you carry yourself with such... Authority."

Kit laughed. "I don't know about that. But... I'm Kit. I'll introduce you to the rest of the Shepherds later. For now... Can you go and give some backup to the Shepherds? Those warriors, there."

Both Libra and Kit sprinted to the Shepherds.

Kit tapped Lissa on the shoulder and she spun around in fright. She calmed down at the familiar face.

"Come with me, Lissa. I'll need your backup for this." Kit said, holding out a hand. Lissa took it, and they dashed for the wall surrounding three sides of the Plegian general.

Kit smiled impishly. "He'll expect a frontal assault. But... What if we go over the wall?"

Lissa's eyes widened at such a plan. Before she could say anything, Kit scrambled up the wall like a cat. Squatting on top of the wall, he offered a hand to Lissa. She took his hand gratefully, and he hauled her up.

He landed noiselessly on the floor, and blasted one of the general's guards before they knew he was there. The general and his other guard spun to face Kit.

"So. You must be Campari." Kit stated confidently.

"Yes." Campari replied bluntly. "And you will not interfere!" Campari charged, but Kit rolled underneath the heavily armoured General's arm and came up slicing his sword into the other unfortunate guard. He went down clutching his wounds. Campari, sensing a lack of advantage, discarded the sword in favour of a lance.

He jabbed at Kit with the lance, but Kit nimbly dodged each attack. Kit, however, had no advantage. Each time he tried to attack, he was driven back by the superior range of the lance.

Campari's strike was fast and brutal.

The lance slammed into Kit, bursting through his skin. He felt the cold, harsh metal pierce him completely. He dropped his sword and fell to his knees, only for Campari's armoured boot to knock him to the ground. His hand crept timidly towards the wound. It had hit just below the heart. Not instantly fatal, but enough for blood loss to get to him very soon.

Through blurred vision, he saw Campari advance on Lissa, backing her into a corner. He desperately fumbled for his tome of magic, grasping the book with bloodied hands.

He cursed under his breath as the book slipped from his numbing fingers. He scrabbled to grab it, and sent a fizzing ball of lightning at Campari. The wave of agony hit instantly, and his vision went black for a few seconds.

Kit looked, and saw that the lightning had gone flying way off course, soaring into the sky. He saw Campari give one satisfied smirk to Kit before returning his attention to Lissa.

Kit had to fight hard to get to his feet. He drew his sword, but the arm hung limp, the blade a dead weight. He gritted his teeth as he lurched forwards with all the speed he could muster. Seeing Campari's lance, he realised that he had only one option for saving Lissa.

He threw himself forwards.