A/N: The final battle ensues... but not everyone is going to make it out alive. Who lives and who dies? Be prepared- it's probably not who you think.
P.S. We're at 473 reviews! I feel pretty confident that we'll hit the 500 mark!
To Defy a God
"Sweet Naga, how do we fight that?!" Basilio asked, his eyes wide. Above them, Grima had begun his ascent into the sky, finally prepared to wage his war on humanity. He was even bigger than the Shepherds remembered him, though this may have had something to do with the fact that the last time they had seen him, they had been running for their lives and not very interested in the details of his figure.
"How do we even use Falchion against him?" Chrom wondered as he noticed the thick plates of armor protecting the monster.
"There is a weak point on the nape of his neck," said Naga, her voice echoing in their heads, though she was nowhere to be seen. "Strike there to end his threat. But be warned- his minions will be guarding it."
"What kind of weak point?" Mataras asked out loud.
"Though he now controls his dragon form, his consciousness resides in the body of the Fellblood Avatar," she replied. It took only a moment for them to realize that she meant the body of the other Robin. "I can send you up to the beast's back, but you must be on your guard when I do- he will not be caught unawares."
"Let's do this," Kirito said as he unsheathed his swords. Looking over his shoulder, he added, "Ready for the final boss, guys?" His comrades nodded as they readied their weapons, each of them fully prepared for whatever might come.
"Brothers, sisters?" Corrin said. "Be safe, all of you."
"Word of advice, Pop," Mataras said as a bluish-white light shone beneath their feet.
"What's that?"
"Don't let them run you through a third time," his son said dryly. "You're going to give Mother a heart attack."
"I think I've learned my lesson," Kirito muttered.
They were instantly teleported to the middle of Grima's massive back to find themselves surrounded by powerful Risen, though there were no Grimleal to be seen. Just as Naga had predicted, Robin's doppelganger stood near the base of the dragon's neck.
"ROBIN!" Grima shouted, his voice seemingly augmented by his dragon form's power. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT LITTLE STUNT YOU PULLED WITH THE FIRE EMBLEM!"
"I think you're just angry that you didn't think of it first!" Robin taunted him. "I thought gods were supposed to have a superior intellect to us mortals? So much for-"
"SILENCE!" Grima roared. "IT IS TIME YOU ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY AS THE FELLBLOOD OF THIS WORLD!" He waved a hand and suddenly, Robin fell like a puppet whose strings have been cut.
Not a second later, and the Risen began to move in, surrounding the Shepherds, weapons at the ready. "Defend Robin!" Chrom ordered. "Don't let them get through!"
"Done," Klein grinned.
"Robin!" Lucina said as she shook her husband's shoulder. "Rise! We need you!"
"No sleeping on the job, Dad!" Morgan added, though she focused on blasting any Risen that came within range into pieces.
"The Shepherds need their leader!" Marth urged his unconscious father. "Your family needs their leader!"
Where…? Robin wondered. All around him was darkness, so complete and black that it seemed to stifle his thoughts, forcing him to make a conscious effort to retain his memories. What is this place?
"This is where you belong, Robin," said another with his voice. Before him appeared his own self, shrouded in a dark aura that somehow surpassed the twilight blanketing his consciousness. "Here, in the realm which you were born to command. Here is your destiny, not out there, leading a band of misfits. This is the realm of a god- and it's yours for the taking." Grima reached out his hand in a gesture of camaraderie. "Join me, and become what you were always meant to be."
The shroud surrounding Robin's mind became so thick, he was having difficulty even remembering who he was. Was he a god or a man? Plegian or Ylissean? Protector or destroyer? Dragon or human?
Somehow, he had the sense that the being before him had the answers. All he had to do was reach out and accept his guidance, and all would be well- right?
"Don't you dare give into this monster!" a shout pierced the darkness, causing both Robins to flinch. "You're stronger than he is- because we're standing with you!"
"Ch-Chrom…?" Robin asked aloud, uncertainly.
"He's right!" shouted another voice, this one belonging to… Kirito? "This guy is on his own- you're not like him, because you have a family that loves you!"
"Do not forget who you are!" another, less familiar voice called out. Corrin, was it? "Your blood does not determine your fate! I know this all too well, and so do you!"
"Come now, Grandmaster!" Mataras bellowed into the void. "Free yourself!"
"Robin." This one was a quiet, demure voice. One that reminded him of Ylisse's beautiful summer, times spent walking in the moonlight, adventures shared, and most of all, an undying love for her family, her Halidom, and for him. "Come back to us- to me."
Looking back at the copy in front of him, he firmed up his jaw and said, "I am no god, and neither are you, snake. I am Robin, the Grandmaster of Ylisse- nothing more and nothing less."
"You will soon be less," Grima snarled, his face contorting in fury. "Soon you'll be dead!" He rushed forward, intending to strike Robin, but he simply sidestepped and grabbed his doppelganger by the collar before electrocuting him with a thunder spell.
"You're the one that's going six feet under," Robin whispered, his Ignis bursting to life. "Because we're putting you in the dirt ourselves- that's a promise."
"You fight a good fight, Corrin!" Klein grinned as the King of Valla wove and swept through his enemies alongside his wife, her movements graceful and flowing like water.
"Your skills are also quite impressive!" the man grunted as he beat back an axe-wielder. Azura finished it off with a thrust from her lance. "Of course, I've yet to meet a man that could truly match either Xander or Ryoma."
Klein looked over to see the two men blazing a destructive path through the Risen, each move a part of a grander scheme. No movement was wasted, no second spent unwisely. Together, it seemed like they could stand against a tsunami and emerge unscathed.
"Sinon, watch out!"
The Cait Sith girl suddenly felt herself getting tackled to the ground just before a lightning bolt whizzed overhead. "What the-?!" she grunted, even as she felt her rescuer quickly leap to his feet. Looking up, she saw one of the Hoshidan princes kick away a Risen soldier, smack it on the head with his bow, then grasp at a string that seemed to be made of light, before an arrow of the same material appeared, flying from his fingers to pass through the Risen's head and continuing until it smote the undead spell caster that had nearly killed her.
Turning back to her, he offered her a hand up, which she accepted. "Watch your blind spots," he told her.
"I'm usually better about that," she muttered. Cocking her head at him, she said, "Thanks for the save, but how did you know my name?"
"Huh?" he asked.
"I never introduced myself to you," she said. "How'd you know my name?"
"That…" Takumi hesitated. After a moment, he said, "You'll know the answer to that someday, my lady. For now, I suggest that we focus on the battle at hand."
Sinon narrowed her eyes at him as she said, "I'm going to get you to spill it, Prince. Count on it." Then she pulled up her bow, aimed and shot at a Risen trying to come at Takumi from behind.
As she floated up slightly to get a better vantage point, she missed Takumi murmuring to himself, "I know I can count on you- always…"
Mataras became aware of movement directly behind him, so he whirled around, intending to chop the enemy in half. His sword was met with a Levin blade, being held by Robin, who raised an eyebrow. "Planning on doing Grima's job for him?" he grinned.
"Sorry," Mataras apologized.
"How are we looking?" Robin asked as his eyes swept the battlefield.
"We're holding our ground, but we're not making any progress, either," Kirito said as he leaped backwards before blasting his opponent with a Rend spell. "Good to see you back among the living."
"I wasn't dead," Robin frowned.
"Your heart stopped," Lucina said as she backed up to be directly behind her husband. "I thought mine would, too."
"For that, Grima dies slowly," Robin growled, his body bursting into rosy flames. Eyeing his hated enemy, he called out, "All spell casters! Fire at Grima, now! We need to clear a path for Chrom- or Mataras, whichever! Archers, cover them!"
"Marth, now!" Mataras shouted.
Robin's son- who had been using a silver blade for the battle- nodded his assent before whipping out his Falchion and tossing it to the Black Spirit. As the other boy caught it, the others noticed that there was something fundamentally different about the blade. Whilst Chrom's sword glowed with an orange light not unlike a fire, the Falchion that Mataras now held was a deep shade of purple that matched Robin's cloak. The teardrop in the sword seemed to seep shadows as the young warrior whirled it with a firm grip.
"What did you do to that sword?!" Chrom demanded. He looked like he might faint.
"I got the idea when I remembered that Grima could use the Awakening like Naga," Mataras smirked. "If the Fire Emblem could be used like that, why not the Falchion? This is imbued with Grima's magic itself- I suppose you might call it the Fell Falchion."
"You desecrated our family's holy blade?!" Lissa shrieked. "Are you nuts?!"
"Clearly," Mataras chuckled. "Remember what Naga said? Grima's power is the only kind that can kill him. This way, Robin doesn't do the killing, and everyone gets to go home."
"You corrupted a holy treasure!" Lucina shouted.
"Did everyone miss the part where we all live?" Mataras asked no one in particular.
"Personally, I think that this is a solid plan," Robin shrugged. "Not a bad idea, Black Spirit."
"Thank you," Mataras grinned. "And since I have dark magic in my veins, I don't need the blood of an Exalt to use this. Case in point…" He slashed through a pair of Risen as easily as hot knife through butter, reducing them both to fog.
"Good against zombies is one thing," Chrom growled. "Good against a demon dragon? That's quite another."
"Then watch me," Mataras snapped, flexing his wings. With a mighty heave, he blasted up and over the battle, streaking across the afternoon sky like a black comet, aimed to strike down Grima once and for all. "Fell Dragon!" he roared. "Your time is up!"
"IS IT?" Grima laughed.
"For my family, and all those I- gack?!" just before the boy came within striking distance, spikes erupted from Grima's back, skewering the Spriggan in multiple places, many of them vital areas. Blood began to drip from the holes and his mouth, which hung open as he stared at the smug Avatar with wide eyes.
"YOU REALLY THOUGHT TO DEFEAT ME WITH MY OWN POWER?" Grima laughed. "STUPID BOY. I AM A GOD- YOU ARE A MORTAL. THERE IS NO CONTEST TO BE HAD HERE." With a dismissive wave of his hand, he sent Mataras flying back to crash into the midst of his comrades, where he lay twitching and gasping for breath.
"Brother!" Yui screamed.
"No, no, no!" Kirito shouted as Mataras' lifeblood continued to drain away.
"Cover them!" Robin ordered as Asuna and Kirito moved to kneel beside their son. "Don't let the Risen get near him!" the Shepherds immediately tightened their defenses around the fallen boy, even as Yui and Lissa moved to work on his wounds.
"It's… too late…" Mataras gurgled, spitting up more blood. "My fight… is finally over…"
"No it's not!" Yui said through her tears as soft light emanated from her staff as she channeled her healing magic, as did Lissa. "You can't go out like this! You can't die on us, not when we're so close to victory!"
"Save your energy… for someone worth saving," he gasped, his eyes beginning to dilate, a sure sign that the end was approaching despite their best efforts. "I'm… not worth it."
"Don't say that, you're not allowed to die here," Asuna said as she too added her energy to the mix.
"Maribelle, we need you!" Robin shouted.
"Coming!" she replied, running to their side while Ricken and Leafa unleashed wind spells to cover her. As soon as she stooped to kneel beside the boy, she paused.
"What's wrong?" Asuna demanded. "Help us!"
"Lady Asuna, I'm sorry," Maribelle said with a shake of her head, sending a stab of fear into the others. "He hasn't moments left. It's too late for us to do anything for him."
"No it isn't!" Yui yelled, the tears beginning to fall. "It can't end like this! He deserves better than this!"
"Yui…" Mataras said, grasping her arm, staining her sleeve with his blood, even as he tried to look at her in the eyes, despite his failing vision. "Release me."
"No!"
"Don't mourn me…" he choked out. His eyesight finally gone, he cast his eyes about desperately as he asked, "Mother? Father?"
"We're right here," Kirito said, grasping his son's hand, causing the younger swordsman to relax.
"Father…" Mataras smiled, though the sight was somewhat ruined by the blood dribbling from his mouth, staining his teeth. "Protect… Mother."
"You can't give up!" Yui screamed. "I need you, Brother!"
"Yui…" Mataras whispered. "You don't… need me. But Mako… he needs you… just like I needed you. Protect him, for my sake."
"I…" the girl sobbed as she finally gave up, resting her forehead on Mataras' chest. "I will… I'll protect him… just like I did in the future."
"Then… I am content…" Mataras grinned again. "Though if I… could… I ask one… last thing…"
"What is it?" Asuna asked, barely able to get the words out.
"Avenge my friends," Mataras gasped. "Do… what I couldn't… Avenge them… and me." His back arched for a brief moment, then he breathed his last.
Mataras the Black Spirit was dead.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still for Kirito and his family. The raging battle around them became little more than faint background noises while the air seemed to grow cold and stale. The only movement that they were briefly aware of was Lissa reaching over to close Mataras' eyes.
Then Kirito snatched up the Fell Falchion in his right hand, abandoning his elucidator, and whirled to confront Grima. "Time's up, demon," he said as he pointed the blade at the Fell Dragon's Avatar. In that moment, Yui could have sworn that she saw the rage of Mataras in his eyes.
"HAH!" the possessed man laughed. "YOUR SON SAID MUCH THE SAME, AND LOOK HOW HE ENDED UP. YOU WILL FARE NO BETTER- NONE OF YOU WILL!"
"Let's contest that, shall we?" Robin growled. Moving quickly, he snatched Chrom's Exalted Falchion from his friend's hands- much to his protest- and quickly swapped it with the elucidator that Kirito had dropped.
"What the hell, Robin?" Chrom demanded.
"You won't get close enough to use the Falchion," Robin told him, even as Kirito tested the balance of the blades. "But Kirito can. With yours, he can block Grima's magic. With the Fell, he can destroy that damn monster."
"The Falchion doesn't work for those that aren't from my family, and even then it's not a sure thing!" Chrom snapped. "He can't use it!"
"Actually, I can," Kirito said as he readied himself. "Your blood is in my body right now, Chrom. It may not be by familial relation, but I think it'll work for now."
"This is crazy!" Chrom shouted.
"No less than any of our other adventures," Robin countered. "Go, Kirito. Fulfill your son's wish."
"With pleasure," the Black Swordsman growled. He, Asuna, and Yui shot into the air before streaking straight towards Grima's human vessel.
Robin: All right, the dual-Falchion-wielding Kirito? Pretty sure a lot of us saw that one coming. You dying, on the other hand?
Mataras: Eh, if I had to go out...
Corrin: What I don't understand is why...?
Mataras: It seemed like the only plausible way for my story to end here. No matter how much everyone tries to accept me, I did not belong with them. So at the very least, I can give Kirito and the others something to avenge- at least, something more personal.
Sachi: That's still pretty sad, especially with how poor Yui felt.
Mataras: I know, but life isn't without loss and heartache. Stories are much the same, else no one would be able to relate to them on a deeper personal level.
Azura: Next time- The Price of Victory
Special Thanks Go To...
Warlord Fellhammer
N-Sight
Kidkaboom1
Will Underwood
P.S. Please join me and my crew on July 7, 2017 at 7 p.m. MT for our weekly topical discussion on YouTube, where we will be discussing Fire Sword in its entirety. We will have a live Q&A during this session, so please feel free to bring any comments or questions you have for us. The link to my YouTube channel can be found on my profile- hope to see you all there!