The day of reckoning finally arrived. Chrom knew that and he had been anticipating the battle his men would soon be fighting. Today was the day they would reclaim the Exalt and put a sword to Gangrel's throat. The man's evil would no longer plague the earth, stopping the corrupt king's regime and freeing all from his tyranny. But more importantly, Emmeryn would be safe. By the end of the day, they'd be marching back to Ylisstol as a complete family once again.

Dawn had not yet broken over the horizon when Chrom awoke. His nerves would not allow him to rest until Emmeryn was by his and Lissa's side again. Stretching his arms and clothing himself, he exited his tent and took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. Despite the dry desert atmosphere, it was cool and almost pleasant to be up at such an early hour. The only ones he knew would be up were Frederick, his ever-vigilant knight—and butler, even though Frederick would never fully admit to that—and possibly Robin. He didn't dare to intrude upon her after last night, a shiver going down his spine at the thought. Robin was not friendly in the mornings when she didn't get enough sleep. Not to mention she deserved some rest after working so hard for everyone, Ylissean and Feroxi soldier alike.

It would be some time before all the soldiers would awaken. His options were "occupy yourself" or "go back to sleep". Since option two didn't seem possible at the moment, Chrom decided to take a walk around the camp. It would get his mind off the potential end in the coming hours; help him focus on what needed to be done and how to prepare himself.

That was the plan until he saw a certain pink-haired dancer exit her tent. Chrom couldn't help but be curious. Why was Olivia up so early? Didn't women love their "beauty sleep", as Robin had so eagerly put it? Against his better judgment, he decided to follow after the shy woman. Olivia wasn't nearly as perceptive of her surroundings in the mornings based on what Chrom observed. Normally he couldn't get a few seconds with Olivia without her running away from him. She had no idea anyone was following her right now. Once they were a decent distance from the camp, Olivia suddenly stopped. Chrom held his breath, wondering if she somehow sensed his presence and wanted to escape. A few crushing seconds passed before Olivia breathed in deeply, exhaling it after holding it in briefly. A familiar melody passed her lips, keeping Chrom in place.

It was the same song he heard her sing in Ferox, yet it sounded so much different now. It wasn't a performance where every move and note had to be perfect, an audience judging her every action. Out here, seemingly alone, the song evolved into…something else. Chrom couldn't quite put it to words what he was feeling as she continued singing.

Personal. Emotional. Alive.

He had heard those words before. They did not speak to him the same way as they did in Ferox. Now, it felt like the words were begging him to decode their meaning because there was something he needed to know; something crucial.

"In the white light, a hand reaches through. A double-edged blade cuts your heart in two. Waking dreams fade away. Embrace the brand-new day." Olivia stopped, bringing a hand to her throat. "No. That won't do either. It needs to be perfect!"

"What does?" asked Chrom, forgetting he was supposed to be hiding.

Olivia shrieked shrilly, spotting the Ylissean prince once she turned around. Her entire face turned red. "M-M-Milord Chrom!? Wh-Wh-What are you doing here!?"

"I, uh…followed you?" Chrom awkwardly answered. "I apologize for intruding, but I was curious as to why you were up this early. We aren't supposed to march for another few hours."

"You didn't…hear any of that, did you?"

"Your singing? Yes, I did." He smiled at her. "It was lovely."

"Oh gosh!" Olivia hid behind her hands. "You heard that!? I'm sorry!"

"There's no need for you to apologize. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me for eavesdropping."

"Don't be. Forgive my outburst, your lordship. I know I shouldn't have left in the first place, but there's nowhere I can practice without bothering someone. I just…i-i-it's important that I get everything right for him."

Chrom raised an eyebrow, thoroughly lost. "Excuse me?"

Olivia stood up straighter. "Prince Chrom, did you…feel anything when I sang just now? Were you motivated or touched in some way by the song?"

"Well, I suppose so?" Chrom answered hesitantly, wondering why Olivia had asked such a strange question. "It did make me feel something. Like I should be doing something right now; I just don't know what."

"I see." She smiled. "Thank you for telling me. All I need to do now is practice!"

"Um…may I ask what you're trying to accomplish here?"

"This song might be able to unlock some of Takumi's memories," Olivia answered hopefully. "It was because of him that I remembered how special the song was. The melody is one of the few things he was able to recall when we found him. If it can help him remember anything at all, then I want to do my absolute best when I perform the full version for him. I want him to be able to return home where he belongs. I'll miss him, but I want him to be happy. I want that more than anything…"

"…You truly care for him, don't you?"

"Yes. He's like the little brother I never had!" Olivia giggled. "But pseudo-brother or not, it's selfish to keep him here with us. His family must be worried beyond belief."

Chrom lowered his head, his conversation with Gaius traitorously lingering in the back of his mind. "But what if he doesn't have one?"

"Don't even think about it! They must be out there somewhere!" Olivia retorted, though her anxiety still showed in her tone. "And if they aren't, I'll make sure he never feels alone again; because he's family to me now."

"You know, you are one incredible woman, Olivia," Chrom commented, smiling as he watched her face turn completely crimson. "Takumi is truly blessed to have someone like you to look after him."

"Oh, I don't know about that," she mumbled shyly. "I just embarrass both of us most of the time…"

"And that's how he knows you care. Trust me when I say that. I can't tell you how many times Frederick nearly ruined my image because he cared."

"Ruined your image? How so?"

Chrom grimaced. "Nude posters. I'm not saying anything more than that."

"You poor, poor soul," Olivia laughed lightly. "Shall we head back, milord? I'm sorry for distracting you from your duties."

"Actually, this was a nice surprise for me. I would love to hear you sing more often, if you'll let me."

"As long as it's only you, it would be my pleasure. It's already a challenge just to talk to you like this."

"Am I really that hard to talk to?"

"Oh goodness, I said that aloud!? I'm sorry, Prince Chrom!" Olivia squeaked, rushing past him and towards camp.

"Olivia, wait!" Chrom frowned once he noticed the dancer had completely disappeared. "What did I do wrong this time?"

For once, the nightmares ceased. He knew what his dreams normally consisted off. An encroaching darkness that threatened to consume him completely. The scarlet essence of comrades he could no longer recall. The scream of someone in pain, breathing their last few breaths before death overtook them. The smell of fire and smoke. Crimson eyes that mourned for him as he fell; an endless fall with disembodied, spiteful words directed towards him. Useless. Pathetic. Unloved. Unwanted. Worthless. These sensations would torment him throughout the night until he could no longer stay asleep; brought out of his slumber and greeted by lingering head pains, a cold sweat, and his own ragged breathing. He was alone. Completely and utterly alone each and every time he suffered through the nightmares and it hurt. It cut deep into him, frightened him, reminding him of his insignificance and isolation before his exhausted mind caved into the frigid, engulfing abyss once again.

But this time, the horrid images and words had strangely left him alone. Why, he thought to himself, did they not come to him? The rescue was supposed to be today. He had felt the apprehension all last night, so why did that not become fodder for those nightmares? There was an unknown force pushing against him. The weight on his chest was crushing and it prevented him from moving too much. He wondered why that was the case as well. He was always able to move freely when he woke up.

His answer was rudely given to him when he felt something wet slide down his cheek. His amber orbs immediately snapped open, eyeing the strange object that had been laying on him. Robin was passed out, smiling in her sleep as a trail of drool crept out of her open mouth. It had slid down her cheek and onto his at some point during the night. Takumi almost screamed in disgust and rage, but he held back. Barely. He quickly wiped the offending residue off his cheek, slowly crawling away to escape his role as Robin's mattress. Was this going to become a habit with her? Falling asleep with him even though they were nothing more than acquaintances?

He stopped when arms wrapped tightly around his waist, Robin unconsciously pulling herself back onto him and snuggling into his chest. Her smile seemed to grow as her cheek nuzzled into the soft cloth of his shirt. A blush crept onto his face at the action. Never had he been thrust into such a compromising position. There was no clear-cut way out of the situation. Taking a deep breath, he gently patted her cheek a few times. She moved slightly at the touch, but did not wake. He sighed, cupping her cheek and moving closer to her ear.

"Robin, wake up."

This time, she stirred more. Dark eyelashes fluttered open, revealing her clear brown irises. She clutched the fabric of his shirt a few times, as if testing it to determine what it was she was gripping. She looked up, their eyes locking together. For what seemed like minutes, they stared at the other before Robin's face turned a deep red. She launched herself off of Takumi, covering her mouth in embarrassment.

"Not again!" she squeaked. "Forgive me, Takumi! I swear it's not intentional!"

"Get off."

She realized she was still sitting on his legs, which only made the burning in her cheeks worse. She complied, quickly grabbing her cloak which had been used as a makeshift blanket at some point. Takumi would never admit that it was cozy despite the odd position they were in. He smoothed out the ruffles in his clothes as he tried to ignore the way his heart was pounding when he was near her.

"You need to stop being so comfy, Takumi. I might just replace my pillow for you."

"Shut up."

"Grouch."

"How would you feel if you woke up to someone drooling on you?"

Robin gaped. "Drooling!? Oh geez! I'm so sorry, Takumi! It's just—it's been a while since I've slept so comfortably."

"I don't mind it. Just make sure it doesn't happen again. I can only take so much abuse from you."

"I don't think being a pillow and being drooled on counts as abuse," stated Robin, giving him an unamused glare.

"Well…" A teasing smile graced Takumi's stern features. "I suppose I'd rather have that than have figs thrown at me."

"Ah, so you heard about that?" the tactician giggled. "Lon'qu is never going to forgive me, is he?"

"Nope. Never."

"Thought so."

The flap of the tent suddenly opened, revealing an oddly awake Lissa. She was startled, looking back and forth between the two before her expression changed. A devious smile crept on her face as she placed her hands behind her back. Takumi didn't like that look one bit as she casually strode into the room.

"Well, I was supposed to get you two up because we're going to march soon. But I guess I'm not needed after all." She winked as she left the tent. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone to get ready."

"We're not lovebirds!" Takumi denied loudly, his face flushing at what Lissa dared to imply. He crossed his arms with a huff. "Honestly…"

"Relax," Robin stated with a smile. "She was just teasing. No need to get your smallclothes in a twist."

"I know, I know. But that's quite the assumption to make, don't you think?

"Well, it does kinda look that way when we're on the ground and laying—"

"Stop. Don't even continue that sentence," Takumi interrupted, a noticeably cute blush on his face in Robin's opinion. "Enough fooling around. You know what we need to do."

There was a pause as her expression hardened. "Yes."

Robin grabbed her trusty Thunder tome and the sharpened sword Cordelia had prepared for her the previous day. This was the moment of truth. After hours of meticulous planning, they had come up with a sound approach that Robin was certain would work. All his inquiry and suspicion finally came in handy when he spent the entire night strategizing with her, going over every tiny detail she normally would have overlooked. The Feroxi and Ylissean army would be as prepared as possible. She honestly didn't think the plan would fail. It was foolproof.

She optimistically kept that thought in mind as the soldiers took their positions after she had informed Flavia and Basilio of their roles. The tactician saw Emmeryn perched atop a thin slab of rock, a gleaming axe held in the hand of the executioner. Gangrel soon made his appearance, addressing the large crowd of Plegian citizens that had gathered to watch the slaughter. She eyed the archer beside her, a Longbow clutched in his hand and an arrow already prepared. This was a shot Takumi could not afford to miss. Even with his expert skill with wielding the Fujin Yumi, a traitorous part of her soul couldn't help but assume the worst could potentially happen. Gangrel raised his hand towards the executioner, giving the signal to murder the Exalt

Takumi drew back the string, aiming right at the man. Robin could see the anger and stress on his face, but his concentration never wavered. The Plegian took one step before the arrow was let loose. It flew swiftly and silently through the air, the metal tip catching the sun's rays. It pierced the man's skull, effectively killing him as the body fell off the cliff to its doom.

"EVERYONE: NOW!" Robin shouted. That was all the Shepherds needed to hear to spring into action.

The chaos that erupted was something Robin would always remember. Plegian and Ylissean soldiers immediately went to battle, civilians ran from the fights that began to bloom across the sandy dunes, and Chrom recklessly raced forward in an effort to get to Emmeryn quicker. Takumi took to Robin's side as Wyvern Riders descended upon their position. With a loud battle cry, she brandished her Thunder tome and began to rain down her own form of hell upon her enemies. The mighty dragons were nothing against her magic, their armor and scales turning them into easy conductors of the deadly electricity. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the green glow of Fujin Yumi's arrows fly across the landscape and hitting their targets with deadly accuracy.

She no longer noticed the passage of time as she slew more and more soldiers. There had to be no one standing before the next stage of the rescue could begin. Elsewhere, Robin could see Chrom standing beside two faces that she did not recognize. She couldn't help but smile. Even amidst the enemy, Chrom was able to find new allies. It further proved that Gangrel was not the kind of ruler that the Plegians wanted to serve. She could hear the king's enraged and annoyed yells over the dunes, displeased at how things were proceeding on his own turf.

It wasn't long before the Plegian soldiers and their commander were defeated and the skies were clear of any wyverns. Robin felt joy swell in her chest as Chrom gave the command for the freed pegasus knights to rescue Emmeryn. The Exalt appeared relieved at the sight of Phila as the Falcon Knight flew in closer. Victory was so close that Robin could almost taste it. Chrom and Lissa would be reunited with their sister, alive and safe. Excitement coursing through her veins, ignoring the concerned shouts of her silver-haired friend, she dashed through the sand to make her way towards Chrom. As she got closer, she noticed most of her fellow Shepherds appeared to be in high spirits. There weren't many injuries at all, which only made Robin's heart soar.

Her heart stopped entirely for a good few seconds when several Risen archers were summoned from nowhere. She couldn't believe her eyes. Robin could barely make out the sinister chuckles that were coming from Aversa as she stood beside her king. This was the worst-case scenario. This was the unexpected circumstance. She remembered discussing it the previous night.

"Wait, what do you mean 'expect the unexpected'?" she blurted out. "In case you hadn't noticed, I always do that!"

"I should probably word it differently: you need to expect the impossible," Takumi explained. "People are unpredictable. Take the fight between me and Chrom for instance. You didn't assume I was an archer based on the knowledge you had available, much less know that I was proficient with more than one weapon. Anything can happen during this mission and we only have so much intel on the enemy's position and numbers. You don't know what that dastard and his witch are capable of. I wouldn't put it past them to pull something out of nowhere right when things are in our favor."

"Like what?"

"Unforeseen circumstances. In this case, I believe third-party involvement might be the greatest risk. I feel like we need to be prepared for anything, especially archers if everything goes well on Basilio's end. Those pegasus knights won't stand a chance if that happens."

"I see…"

"That's my personal opinion, but you're the tactician here. You make the final decisions. I'm just here to advise and help where I can."

"No, you have a point. I would never have considered that. If even the slightest possibility that random warriors do appear, it's better to be safe than sorry. Emmeryn's life is on the line and I cannot put her in jeopardy, no matter how slim the chances are. No mistakes can be made."

Robin was so relieved when the memory came back to her. She was so glad she had listened to his advice, asking Flavia to prepare a select group of soldiers to keep aside in case they needed more manpower with the Shepherds. She could see that very same group now, made up of various myrmidons and cavaliers, rushing in to dispose of the Risen before they could take aim at the pegasus knights or Emmeryn. By the time Robin arrived at Chrom's side, the prince was staring in disbelief as the undead were felled before his eyes. He turned to look at her, sheer gratitude and praise shining in his eyes, as he thanked her for her detailed preparation of the plan. She could only smile in return, the desire to tell Chrom the truth dying somewhere in her throat. She didn't earn that look. Had she truly done it alone, those men wouldn't be out there. Those Risen would have eliminated Phila and her knights, leaving Emmeryn's life in the palm of Gangrel's hand. Only one person deserved those thankful eyes and she had carelessly left him behind to find Chrom. But still, everything was looking up. Gangrel had lost. Phila was by Emmeryn's side, waiting to bring her to safety.

Sudden, slight flashes of purple light hidden by the brightness of the sun's rays. A spray of crimson rain. Phila and her knights fell.

Emmeryn stood there, frozen in shock along with everyone else as an overbearing silence encompassed the battlefield. No one saw anything. No one even knew what had happened. Robin's throat dried up, sickening thuds of dead bodies echoing in her ears. There were no weapons left in their wounds; just massive holes where something powerful had pierced right through them.

Gangrel's merry laugh sounded wicked to the Ylisseans, obviously pleased with the turn of events. "Well, lookie here at this exeunt! You seem to have a few dead pegasus knights on your plate. I wonder who did the dirty deed? Perhaps one of Lady Luminosity's liberators isn't as squeaky-clean as you believe them to be?"

"Shut up!" Chrom seethed. "Trying to get us to turn on each other won't work, Gangrel! No one would dare—"

"Would they? I certainly don't see anybody but sanctimonious Ylisseans here! Or are you all Ylisseans?"

Chrom felt a lump form in his throat. No. That wasn't true. He wouldn't believe what Gangrel was implying. It was impossible. Only the Shepherds, a small group of Feroxi myrmidons, and Ylissean cavaliers were here. No one wanted the Exalt dead. They were all here to save Emmeryn. The Mad King was just trying to mess with his head.

"As much as I love to see you squirm like the little princeling worm you are, I grow tired of this show. Just hand over the Fire Emblem and you and Sister Dear can go on your merry way."

The Ylissean prince scowled, moving to draw Falchion from its sheathe once more. "Never!"

"Ah, ah, ah! No, you don't. You so much as twitch in place and your Exalt will be joining your father in Hell!" An evil grin spread across Gangrel's face. "Although, it's really a matter of preference whether the one behind the weapon chooses to shoot you or Sweet Pea up there on the cliff."

"Don't do it," Robin whispered uneasily. "You can't listen to him. He's probably bluffing."

"I know that! But you saw what happened to Phila." Chrom shuddered. "What if he isn't lying and there is another executioner out there waiting for the order to kill Emm? I can't take that chance! Gods, what do I choose? My duty or my sister?"

Robin winced. "Chrom. I hate to say this, but you need to think with your head for this. I know you want to save Emmeryn, but everything is against us right now. Compared to the potential—"

"Don't even say that! I can't do it! No matter what the right answer is, I won't sacrifice Emm!"

"That is enough!"

Everyone paused at the delicate voice, redirecting their gaze to the Exalt. Her expression was stern, but not hateful. She stood tall and proud despite her life hanging in the balance. She locked her gaze with Gangrel's, her eyes showing nothing but pity for the man.

"Will you not listen to reason, Gangrel?"

"Oh, will you put a cork in it? The only thing I want to hear from you is the splat you make when you hit the ground!"

"Do you refuse to heed the lesson of our ancient ancestors? War has only brought despair and death. Nothing good can come of it."

"Are you done? Because I'm actually thinking about coming up there and shutting you up myself!" the Mad King yelled. "I wonder how Siegfried will take to the blood of one so disgustingly 'pure' as you."

Robin and Chrom both froze at the trigger word. It confirmed Robin's suspicion she had had since her first encounter with the madman. Her eyes immediately scanned over Gangrel, wondering where the legendary sword was. Looking closer at the king, Robin wanted to hit her head for being so oblivious to the weapon by his side. The sword held in Gangrel's hand was sheathed with only the hilt and guard visible from her viewpoint. Even without seeing the actual blade, an icy chill went up her spine. It seemed to radiate an intensely dark aura, filling the atmosphere with a sense of dread and hopelessness. Its powers hadn't been revealed, yet Robin couldn't help but feel like her world was coming to an end simply by being within the vicinity of it. Truly an imposing weapon if it was capable of all that without being drawn.

"Sister! Wait!" Chrom called out. "Look, I know you're going to hate me for this, but this is my choice. Maybe one day will come where the Emblem might have helped us, but who's to say such a time will ever come? The people need their Exalt today. We need our sister. If such a crisis does come, we will face them together!"

A gentle smile, so small yet it carried so much love with it. "Chrom. Thank you. I know now what I must do."

"Sister?"

Chrom felt like his feet were stuck in mud even though the shifting sands were as dry as could be. He watched as Emmeryn spoke to the Plegian people, attempting to show them the error of their ways. War was monstrous. It would only cause suffering to all. He knew that. Somehow, he believed the Plegians knew that too somewhere deep inside their hearts. Emmeryn smiled brilliantly, yet there was such sorrow behind it too. She took a step forward. It was at that point when he knew.

He dashed forward, ignoring the pleas of Robin and his comrades. The brother in him urged him forward despite his lack of a plan. All he knew was he had to stop her. She couldn't leave them. Not now. Not after everything they did to get this far. Over she went. Down, down, down she fell; at peace and accepting of what fate awaited her when she stopped. The desire to scream and cry mixing somewhere inside his chest along with the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Muffled sounds, falling bodies. Time waited for no one.

He fell to his knees, words caught in his throat as the raw emotion burned him alive. Tears of guilt, tears of rage, tears that represented the conflicting maelstrom swirling within his heart. Shrieking laughter and forceful commands reached his ears, but his limbs refused to move. All he could see was her descent. Armored arms latched onto him, forcing him onto a horse before riding off. Away, away, away from her. From her body that was left in the hands of her murderer. The one who caused her death. Fury blossomed behind the pain and distress, leaving him unexpectedly numb. Escape was the priority. Tactical retreat, they said. It felt more like he was running away in defeat.

She was gone. They lost.

This chapter took so much longer to write than I would have liked. I got stuck, then I switched fandoms again, then college classes start piling up homework and…well you get the point. I've been unmotivated for a while. I attempted to make the scenario surrounding Emmeryn's death different while still remaining the same, but I'm still not completely satisfied with it.

Who killed Phila? Who knows? You'll have to wait and see what my evil schemes are. The vagueness makes the mystery that much more interesting, plus it plays into the conflict I have in store for the next chapter or two. Our poor pineapple prince is going to suffer.