Robin fell to his knees, "Tiki… was… was my sacrifice… a mistake?"

Chrom frowned. For many years, he had viewed his friend's final hours in just that light, but not because of Robin. If I'd been faster… I shouldn't have hesitated like I did…. To think that his friend was now tormented with similar thoughts…

"No." Chrom picked the Tactician up once again, "You did what you had to do. Don't ever doubt that. With Grima gone, you saved the world from a great evil."

"But I cursed it with another monster… and now, my wife and my daughter are both…" Robin couldn't bring himself to say the word gone.

"Not true. Morgan is out there somewhere. The other Children and Nowi are searching for her." Chrom looked his friend in the eye, "This sulking ill suits you, Robin. Come now, don't tell me you don't have a plan. I know it's hard with the circumstances, but you can do it."

Robin looked up at him, thinking. "What is the state of Ylisse? Truthfully, now?"

"We've cleared it of all the Risen, but the damage is still extensive. With Tharja's help, we put up some Grimleal magic that repels the power of the Divine Dragons, so Tiki hasn't gotten close enough to destroy Ylisstol. Most of the country has managed to hold up inside." Chrom explained.

Robin nodded, "Good, I'll need access to the war room. Let's make haste to the capital."

The band went towards the nearby village, which was abandoned. The buildings glowed with an unrelenting green flame. The market was destroyed, as it had been when Robin came the first time, but now…

Robin had to hold in vomit. The ground was littered with the burnt corpses of those who had either failed or refused to escape. "Tiki… how could you…"

Frederick looked at Chrom, "Are you sure this was the right thing to do, milord?"

Chrom looked at his friend with a mixture of regret and steel-faced determination, "He's more motivated to stop this now, isn't he?" the Exalt sighed and approached his friend, "Robin… we ought to go."

Robin stood up shakily, before swiftly turning on the Exalt. He grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up.

"Why?!" Robin shouted, his eyes misted with tears. "Why would you show me this?! Tiki can't have done this, she mustn't have done this!"

Chrom said nothing. He himself had taken a very long time to grasp the atrocities committed by the maddened Dragon Princess.

"Well?!" Robin was all but screaming now. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Chrom looked at him, "Robin… I am so… sorry…"

The Tactician dropped his commander forcefully, turning around to avoid needing to face him. "We have to get to the capital. If there were horses here, we'd be able to get there much faster." He looked at Chrom, "If we could reclass you to Paladin or something, it might help."

"Not necessary. My horse is tied up near here. Lissa can ride with F-"

"I," Robin interrupted him, "Will ride with Frederick."

Chrom looked down, "Understood."

They got to where Chrom had his horse, and disembarked.

"Frederick," Robin asked, "I need to know the shape of my army."

"Gaius is performing Recon missions around the country with Sumia, they're attempting to reestablish communications with the Feroxi, who have been cut off by… the Dragon." Frederick avoided using her name. "As milord explained, the Children are all in search of Morgan, and Nowi went with them. Say'ri is trying to organize Valm alongside Yen'fay, Cherche and Virion. Understandably, the continent is distraught about their Voice's change. There have been many casualties in attacks as they refuse to accept the events and will not evacuate. Sully, Stahl, Vaike, and Miriel are in charge of training recruits. Kellam is trying his hardest with Maribelle and Ricken to bring in any survivors from outside of Ylisse. Donnel, Lon'qu, Gregor, Libra, and a contingent of Dark Mages from Plegia lead by Tharja and Henry are attempting to spread the barrier, and bring more of our Plegian neighbors into safety. Luckily, Plegia hasn't been attacked much due to the natural dark magic surrounding the area, but the border villages are in constant danger. Cordelia and Panne are rallying Mercenary groups to our aid. Olivia has remained in Ylisstol, keeping the people at ease as well as she can. She often puts on performances for the troops to raise morale and keep them battle ready." Frederick finished his explanation, "I know not of Anna's location, and Gangrel and Aversa disappeared not long after the final battle. As for Emmeryn, she remains in Regna Ferox. In our last communication with Flavia before the Dragon made messages impossible to send, she said the former Exalt was faring well. Basilio and Priam are hard to track, but we sporadically hear word of them around the continent rescuing people from attacks and then disappearing."

Robin sighed, "Seems we're spread pretty thin. First order of business will be to rally together as many of them as possible."

"I'd suggest first recalling Panne and Cordelia, and then making an attempt at finding Morgan. Having the children with us will be a boon, no doubt for both your own morale and the defense of Ylisse." Frederick pointed out.

Robin nodded, "Just as I was thinking. I'd also like to call back the Dark Mages and the group protecting them. If the Barrier becomes insufficient we can send them out once more, but until then Tharja's and Henry's powers will be a massive advantage. Not to mention Donnel's prowess."

"We shall do just that." Frederick continued to ride, and soon the Capitol came into view. Up above it, the symbol of Grima floated loftily. The violet eyes seemed to glare into Robin's heart, and he remembered how long that symbol was engraved in his hand. Once my curse, now my shield. If I believed in fate, it would be quite poetic.

Once inside the Capitol city, Robin dismounted and stormed towards the War room, not looking back at the people casting surprised glances his way. Little did he know, he had become something of a myth among the people of Ylisse. The leader who had brought an army through three wars with next to zero casualties, and sacrificed himself to free them from Grima. Some thought that he was created by Chrom as a story to boost troop morale, but now here he was. He pushed past people and soon arrived in the small room decorated with a map table and various decorative weapons. Robin looked down at the paper, seeing all the small skirmishes detailed around it.

"Hm… so it seems she's been all over Ylisse and Valm, but not too far into Regna Ferox. It's probably too cold for her Dragon form to take." Robin deduced.

"That's the same conclusion Miriel came to." Chrom entered the room slowly, standing opposite to his advisor in front of the maps. "Also, due to the presence of the Grimleal in Plegia, she hasn't breached the desert." He pointed at a small marker, "She currently flies above Mt. Prism. It seems to be where she always returns."

Robin nodded, "A base of operations, then. With Naga's power so abundant in the area, it makes sense."

"Right." Chrom replied. "What shall we do? A charge on Tiki herself would be impossible, as Naga seems to have no plans on sending us to her back as we did with Grima."

"No," Robin shook his head, "The only way for us to do this is to bring Tiki to her senses. Morgan and I will have to be there to achieve this."

Chrom looked at him, "And if worse comes to worse?"

Robin glared at him, "I will plan for any contingents on my own, I'd like for you to not mention them."

Chrom sighed, "Right." I shouldn't have said that… I could only imagine how I would have reacted if I was in his shoes, and we were speaking of Olivia…

"As soon as the ones I called for have returned, I'll give my plans. Call upon me when they have. I'll be at the Shepherds' barracks." Robin turned around coldly.

"I need my weapons…" He remarked under his breath.

Robin spent hours within the barracks, switching between practicing his swordsmanship and his spells, oftentimes using the Levin Sword to do both. He continued to fight until all he could feel was his arms moving and the air charging with Magic. He stopped for a break, and felt the atmosphere of the room change. He turned, seeing a man standing there. His hair was the same color as Chrom's, but he definitely more resembled Lucina. Without a second thought, Robin could tell he was the Hero King, Marth.

Robin said nothing, looking at the man with a strange mixture of awe and spite. This was, after all, the man who had caused Tiki so much pain.

Marth gave a knowing smile, "I know what you're thinking. Yes, it is I who left her alone all those years ago… and I am sorry for that. But… I loved another, and Tiki and I were simply not meant to be. I, a human, and she, a divine dragon…"

"Just cut to the chase, King." Robin all but spat out the word. "You've had more than enough time on this earth."

Marth recoiled, but then composed himself. "Did you ever read the fables of Elibe, Robin."

"Yes," Robin answered curtly, "The tale of Eliwood and his companions, as well as Roy's struggles against the mad king."

Marth nodded, "Then you know of Idoun?"

"I fail to see how this connects to Tiki." Robin lied. He knew exactly where this was going.

"Idoun, like Tiki, was a divine dragon. However, when the Fire Dragons took her soul from her, she was made into a Demon Dragon, and was able to create War Dragons. I don't know who, but someone is attempting to do just that to Tiki." Marth explained. "Tiki did not lose her mind from your death- mind you, it brought her close- but it is through this dark power that she is in her current state. Every hour, she is fighting to keep her soul, and every minute, it slips away from her. I know not how much time she has."

Robin cringed, "How is that possible? The stories of Elibe are but myth, passed down through the ages. Surely no one could recreate those events."

"You have been to the Outrealms, Robin. You have crossed blades with all of the ancient heroes, including Roy himself. Did the bite of their steel feel illusory? Were those stories myth, or long-forgotten history? Not of this world, but another?" Marth asked.

Robin looked down at the table, knowing the Hero-King spoke true. "Then I shall find this power and stop it."

Marth shook his head, "First you must sever the connection they have to Tiki. To do so, you will have to rescue her soul. You will need the Fire Emblem, and three people. One to reclaim her soul's grasp on today, one to give her soul hope for tomorrow, and one to connect her soul to her past."

"Speak not in riddles, Marth!" Robin shouted. The Hero-king simply gave a wry smile and vanished.

Robin turned away as the Exalt called to him, not seeing a small girl stand up and walk off. "I'm sorry, father… if only I could help more…" She tucked a small card into her pocket and flew away on the wings of a black Pegasus.

Robin looked at the group around him. Cordelia, Panne, Donnel, Gregor, Lon'qu, Libra, Tharja, and Henry, all stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak.

"Glad you're all here. I wish we could have met again under better circumstances, but due to my blunder-" Robin was suddenly interrupted by Tharja.

"Robin… if there's anyone who disdains your heroics on the Dragon's back, it is me. But if you refer to them as if they were in vain, I will have to punish you." Tharja smiled disturbingly, "Believe you me, I will enjoy it… hehehe…"

Robin wasn't quite sure if he blanched or blushed. "Glad to see you haven't changed much, Tharja."

Henry laughed, "Yeah! You're lucky, not everybody gets to die like you did! I'm so jealous!"

Libra cleared his throat, "I think he means to say 'Your sacrifice was admirable, and even recent events do not undermine their import.'"

Robin nodded, "Thank you, Libra."

"Gregor agrees with the feminine one! Besides, this means Gregor can still get you more drunk than Feroxi swimming in mead barrel!" The burly Mercenary laughed jovially.

"... and… thank you too, I think." Robin looked down at the map. "In any event, our first order of business will be to get to the children, and Morgan. They will be a big help in our mission."

Donnel cleared his throat, "Hope ya don't mind, but uh… what is this here mission of ours? Are we gonna save the voice, or… y'know… yipe!" Donnel jumped as he received a sharp pinch from Cordelia.

"Mind your tongue, Donnel! You are suggesting slaying Robin's wife!" The Pegasus Knight hissed.

"I'm just thinkin' realistically! What if we can't do nothin' ta- YOW! Would y'all stop that!?" this time it was Panne who was pinching him with her sharp Taguel nails. "I have long respected you for your ability as a trapper, but this side of you who would suggest something such as this to a member of his own Warren… he is worse than pond scum."

"Right… yeah, I'm mighty sorry, Robin… I don't know what I was thinkin'..." Donnel looked down in shame.

Robin thanked Panne and Cordelia with his eyes, and looked at the group. "Our mission is to bring Tiki to her senses. For that, we will need people close to her. Morgan is the first priority, to this effect. Say'ri as well."

He looked down, "Everyone… in the case that Tiki cannot be brought to her senses… I want you all to evacuate. Do you understand me?"

"I refuse." Tharja didn't hesitate. "I watched you kill yourself once, I will not do it again."

Robin cringed, "But-"

Libra cleared his throat, "I agree with Tharja, sir. If we cannot rescue Lady Tiki from her state, we can at the very least seal her, but we will not allow you to give your life once more."

"Seal Tiki… but… I could never…" Robin looked at the others, "That would be worse than death. She'd be… alone, sad, betrayed… I couldn't just…"

"You won't have to!" Henry smiled, "I could get you out of there. Then, Tharja and some other sorcerers could create a barrier. It would buy you time, then we could find some way to get her back."

"But what if there is no way?" Robin shouted.

Donnel stood up, "C'mon now, Robin! T'aint like ya ta talk like that! All pessimistic-like! Ya gots ta have a plan, don'tcha? That plan you have ta purify her, it'll work! Jest like it worked when we went inta that volcaner ta fight Yen'fay! I thought you was crazy, but you got us all out real safe! And the other time, when ya set the ships on fire, I thought we was gonna burn up like Sully's cookin', but we was all okay! And then when we thought we was trapped in Plegia's castle, and ya done and got us out! C'mon Robin, ya gots ta believe in yerself!" Donnel looked at the others, and sat down.

"I was just sayin' my mind is all…" Donnel pulled at his collar.

Panne smiled, "Much better."

Robin looked down at his hands, thinking about that battle that Donnel had mentioned. Not only had it been an incredibly tough spot, but it had been the battle that lead to Tiki finally confessing her feelings to him. "Yes… I have to believe in this…" Marth, if you were lying…

"Cordelia, take us to the Pegasus stables. We must ride with haste to the children." Robin implored.

Cordelia nodded. "Why of course."