Chapter One: The World of the Past

It was deep into the night when I arrived. The Rift's opening in the past was much more dramatic than it had been at Mount Prism. The forest it opened above was burning, and the very earth itself stirred. Somehow, a number of Risen had managed to exit the Rift before I did. There were humans down there as well, who had unfortunately been caught in the undead warriors' path.

One of them, a young girl, had her back against a boulder as a Risen soldier advanced on her. I leapt from the Rift's opening, hitting the ground running. I barely made it in front of the Risen's axe blow, and the awkward angle meant that I had to catch the attack with Falchion held behind my neck. The undead had a superior position, and attempted to break through my guard with sheer force.

I turned to the girl's companion, a fighter by the looks of him, who seemed to have been surprised into inaction by my sudden appearance. "Help!" I exclaimed.

"Right," he replied before breaking into a charge. As he approached the Risen from its right side, I managed to throw off the creature's axe and twist Falchion into a swift slash. Our swords passed through the Risen's body from opposite sides, and after a moment it dissolved into the dark purple dust that always came from the bodies of defeated Risen.

I sheathed my blade, but the other man did not. He paced, staring at me suspiciously. "Quite an entrance," he said. "What's your name?"

I turned to face him, getting a good look at both of the others for the first time. I had to clamp down on my surprise; many people in my world had described to me the face of the man I couldn't remember, and this warrior in front of me matched all of their words. Any doubt as to his identity was swept away by the fact that the Brand of the Exalt was displayed proudly on his bare shoulder, and the sword he carried was the same as my own. This man was Chrom, my father.

Which made the girl Chrom's sister, my aunt Lissa. There was no mistaking that absurd hair style for any other, though she was much younger than I had ever seen her and unburdened by the tragedies of war. She seemed more frightened than anything.

I was uncertain what to say. I hadn't expected the Rift to deposit me ten feet away from the man I'd come back to save. Although it was gratifying to know that Chrom was still alive in whatever time this was, I didn't know how to proceed.

Fortunately, shouts in the distance claimed my father's attention. A heavily armored figure on horseback and one other were approaching swiftly, hailing Chrom and asking if he was alright. Trust Frederick the Wary to show up right when I needed him. I seized the opportunity to disappear into the smoke.

I considered simply leaving, getting far away from my father and his companions before they could start asking difficult questions. But there were still many Risen in the area, and I was partly responsible for bringing them here. I had to destroy as many as possible so they couldn't threaten the people. Chrom would undoubtedly engage them as well, which I would have to keep an eye on. Some savior I'd turn out to be if the Risen that followed me through the Rift killed my father before his time.

In smaller numbers than I was used to, the Risen were no match for me. I was careful to skirt around the area in which Chrom's group was fighting. I stole a minute to watch their battle from the safety of a clump of unburned trees.

That was the first time I'd ever seen him. The fourth member of their party, the other who had arrived with Frederick. I did not know this man, nor had anyone ever told me of him. His unkempt hair was black, the same color as the hooded, knee-length coat he wore open at the front. The clothes he wore beneath it were plain, simple dyed cloth. In his right hand he held a sword, and seemed to know how to use it well enough. I could not make out his face from where I was, yet all the same a sense of confidence seemed to emanate from him as he marched forward to face the Risen.

A pair of undead warriors charged him, axes at the ready. The stranger raised his left hand, and after a moment lightning lanced from his fingertips. The first of the approaching Risen took the blast full on, its charred body falling to the ground and dissolving. The second closed with the man, but its powerful overhand strike was casually evaded. A return swing severed the Risen's hand, twisting into a second slash that decapitated the undead warrior.

More Risen attacked, but Chrom and Frederick joined the stranger in facing their assault. They seemed to have things well in hand, so I returned to hunting down the remaining Risen.

Why hadn't I heard of this man before? He traveled alongside my father, and seemed an able combatant. Using both magic and the sword with skill was a rare talent. Perhaps he would die in the war against Plegia, but he did not look like a man who would die easily. I supposed it was a mystery that would have to wait for another time.

Once more I considered leaving, but I realized that the nature of my appearance and actions so far in this world had made Chrom suspicious. If he was to be at all receptive to my words later on, I needed to allay his mistrust. But how to go about it without revealing too much? To speak of events that had not happened yet was a risky business, and I needed my father to trust me, not think I was insane.

I decided that the best option was to be vague, to offer a warning of the troubles to come without detailing them. Even if they didn't necessarily believe me, it would be better than simply vanishing, and perhaps it would put Chrom on his guard. The nudge that would put the world off its path to ruination could be a result of the smallest thing.

When they finished off the last of the Risen, I was waiting. Chrom approached me cautiously, but with Falchion sheathed this time. The other three trailed behind him. Frederick, I noticed, seemed to be trying to keep a close eye both on me and on the stranger. It wasn't much, but it told me that Frederick did not trust this man.

"It seems all the creatures have been vanquished," Frederick was saying to Chrom. "This young man took care of the others."

I was a bit surprised that Frederick had noticed me during the battle. I guess I wasn't nearly as subtle as I'd thought. But even he had mistaken me for a man, so that particular deception was effective at least.

"Umm…" Lissa began hesitantly. "I didn't get to thank you for before. So thank you. You were very brave."

"You saved my sister's life," Chrom said. "My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?"

Well, at least he was acting a bit friendlier. "You may call me Marth," I replied.

"After the heroic king of old?" Chrom asked. "You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your sword technique?"

Too many questions, I thought irritably. "I'm not here to talk about me," I said. "This world lies on the edge of a terrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude." They all stared at me as though I'd sprouted wings. This whole cryptic prophet thing was more difficult than I'd thought. "You have been warned," I finished lamely before I turned to leave.

"We're on the edge of what now!?" Lissa exclaimed as I walked away. "Hey, wait!" I kept going, and after a few moments I could no longer make out the sounds of their continued conversation. They did not attempt to follow me.

That exchange could have gone better, I suppose, but it wasn't a total loss. I had delivered my warning, in any case.

Closer up, I'd gotten a better look at the stranger in Chrom's group. He was an enigma to me, and I have to admit that I found him interesting even then. His sleep had been interrupted by a burning forest and an attack by fearsome undead, and yet he wore this amused smile on his face like it was all quite entertaining.

He'd seemed sure of himself while fighting the Risen, but a quick glance into his blue eyes had told me otherwise. He was like a man riding a makeshift raft down a swift river; he didn't know where he was or where the river would take him, but he had no choice but to hold on and hope that everything worked out. Yet I was all but certain that it would not end well for him, because if he was my father's companion and had survived long enough I would know of him.

Perhaps, I mused, I could save this intriguing stranger as well as Emmeryn and Chrom. His support could provide a crucial difference in the days to come. But not knowing the time or place of his death made it a challenging prospect. I would have to consider the matter carefully before taking any action.

At that moment, however, all I wanted to consider was where to sleep. If nothing else, my first night in the past had been an interesting one.