Chapter 3: Phantoms
The wind filled their sails, and the Shepherd cut through the waves as nimble as any dolphin Robin had ever seen. The sensation of skimming through water felt oddly familiar to her, as did the sea spray and sigh of the waves.
However, being on the deck of a ship itself was new to her, if the way she stumbled across it was any sign. Her legs shivered; with the adrenaline fading from the fight, it was as if they'd forgotten how to work.
When Robin tried to stand from the bench, she found herself tripping and stumbling across the stern's deck. She nearly planted her face into the planks, save for a pair of hands catching her by the shoulders.
"Woah there!" Squeaked a woman's voice. Robin found herself looking at a face framed by light brown hair and a gentle pair of eyes. "I get being eager to look around... but tripping and falling into things is sort of my job."
She gave a self-deprecating laugh, but for despite the jab at herself, there was a warmth to her voice. "And call me selfish, but I'm not exactly eager to share the experience! My name's Sumia, by the way."
"Robin... at least, I'm pretty sure it's Robin. It feels right enough." Sumia smiled at that, in a way that suggested news traveled fast on the ship. Including news of Robin's lost memory.
"Alright then, Robin... so, what brings you to stumbling around the brig?"
"Curiosity." Robin admitted. "I... I don't think I've ever been on board a… A 'brig' like this before." The headache threatened to build if she dug too deep. Robin settled for skimming the very surface of her thoughts. Relying on vague impressions.
"I think that I've SEEN them in the past. Watched them go by. But never actually been a-aboard one? Is that the right word?" Sumia nodded at her question. There was still a laugh in her voice as she continued.
"Well in that case, welcome aboard the Shepherd. And to be honest I don't think a lot of people can claim they've been on a ship quite like this one. But I wouldn't recommend it being JUST me showing you around. Two people who don't have good sea legs is a recipe for disaster." With that her face brightened at something she saw over Robin's shoulder. "Captain! Good timing!"
Robin turned around, to see Chrom climbing up the stern steps. There couldn't be more of a contrast between them. He easily moved with the roll of the ship, hand not even brushing the rail carved along the stern's side. Sumia filled him in on the situation, Robin staring down at her feet. Maybe the young sailor was at ease with her stumbles, but Robin felt more than a little out of her element.
'And clumsy besides. How can you feel so at ease with the waves, but every other step turns into a trip?' Her feet didn't give any more answers, beyond looking strange to her. Then again, everything about her felt like a stranger-
The thought stopped when Chrom extended a hand to her, blocking the sight of her feet with his palm.
"Sumia says you want to see more? I'd be glad to show you around." And Robin didn't miss the faint glow of pride in his words.
Robin blinked down at her hand, resting in his. He could have trapped her palm, but his grip stayed light. The gentleness warmed her... But that didn't change her leaden feet. Her first step had her limbs protesting the movement, and her hand clamped around his wrist. Her fingers showed dark against the light skin of his arm, clutching at him for balance. Her grip stayed tight, almost pinching at him. But he didn't protest or complain.
"Sumia called you Captain?" Robin asked, taking it one step at a time. Her hands couldn't decide whether to clutch at Chrom, or the rail. "Does that mean you're the captain of this ship?"
"You know my name but not that?" He seemed more surprised than anything else when Robin nodded. "Sorry, I keep forgetting you're out of your element. You seemed so sure in the battle, and when you pulled me from the waves."
"To be honest, I was running on reflexes." Robin admitted. "I barely remember most of it, and what I can recall is blurry at best."
"Well, I guess in that case I should formally welcome you on board the Shepherd. Ah, that's the name of our ship. In case that wasn't obvious." They'd made it down the steps and now moved along the main deck.
It was a splendid, if snug ship; sporting two masts, and a delicately carved surface. At five step intervals along the deck were rings of metal that could have been brass. Or even gold with their glint in the morning sun. Behind Robin, the stern cabins rose up, resembling a small castle perched on the edge of the ship. Each spar, rope and plank was lovingly crafted.
"And as for hazy memories, I certainly remember you saving me." Chrom said, voice a little lower as Robin traced her free hand over the gunwale railing. "I thought for certain I was going to drown right there, with everything pulling me down. It was so dark I could barely see the white of your hair. But you seemed to be swimming easily. Almost like you belonged in the sea." His thumb drew a circle over the back of her hand, the gesture contemplative. The motion brought her eyes to an odd six eyed mark on her hand. The violet coloring of it was almost reminiscent of scales… and unnerving. Enough to convince Robin to focus on something else.
"Hah... well, I guess I remember one thing; being determined drowning wouldn't happen." At least that was one thing she was certain about.
"So, is Chrom strutting around for you and showing off the boat?" Came a familiar voice, Chrom starting and almost dropping Robin's hand. Lissa approached them, and she didn't seem to share her brother's grace quite yet.
"First off Lissa, the proper term is 'ship.' Second off... only a little." There was a faint pink dusting his cheeks, Robin noticed.
"I did ask to look around," Robin found herself speaking up for Chrom. "And... seeing how bad my balance is, he obliged."
"Mm, I saw. No offense Robin, but you're worse than ME when it comes to sea legs. Which, y'know, thanks. Makes me not the newest person on this boa- ship. Ship." She corrected, and gave Robin a quick, if cheeky grin as she teased.
Robin tried to return the grin… but paused as she looked beyond Lissa. The sky had lost its blue clarity, bruising over into a gray and purple mess. There was a cold bite in the wind, raising goose bumps all along her exposed arms.
'I'd give a lot for a bit more covering.' She clapped her hands over her arms, rubbing at them to try and get some warmth back. The sleeveless top went from pleasant to unsuited to the sea air.
"Something wrong, Robin? You're looking like you saw… I don't know, a sea monster or something off the right of the ship!" Lissa tried to get her attention.
"Lissa, if you're going to sail on a ship, you'd better get it into your head that 'port' is left, and 'starboard' is right." Chrom grumbled, frustration in his voice.
"Why not just use left and right then!? Sometimes you all can be so stubborn about these things..." Lissa gave a theatric sigh, craning her head up to the sky... and noticing it going gray.
"Um, Chrom? What's with the gray clouds? I thought today was supposed to be clear thanks to that rhyme or whatever. Dawn clearing bright, sailor's delight and all that."
"It's more a guideline than solid rules." Chrom answered. "But we'd better get ready... hopefully we'll only have to deal with fog."
-o-o-o-
Lucina swam through a half-dream, pursuing the ship. The only thing she had to focus on was keeping her tail strokes strong. Her head settled into a half-awake buzz, her attention on keeping pace.
'Important,' was the best her thoughts could give her. The rest of her thoughts were muffled, if she had them at all. A blank space took up much of her mind. A part of her wanted to panic over that haze... but the rest of her focused on the ship, and how key it was to keep up with it.
All the while, the sun slipped by overhead. Soon enough it was wrapped in clouds, the light going faint. Against that, her eyes strained for a glimpse of someone onboard. Someone important, who was worth swimming leagues after... Even if she wasn't entirely sure on who that could be.
-o-o-o-
The mists made for a lonely evening, clinging to the sides of the ship in gray veils. It also made for slow going, as they felt their way along at half sail. Chrom had to keep stirring himself, to keep from falling asleep at the helm.
A faint scarlet light coated the Shepherd as the sun dipped low, slowly fading to dark blue. Points of orange highlighted the gloom as Stahl made his rounds, lighting each of the ship lamps as he went. Chrom watched him move, then disappear into the galley; most of the crew had elected for time indoors, away from the chill of the fog.
"Slow evening?" He blinked at the voice, and saw Robin standing in front of him. She held a pair of plates heaped with food from the galley. For a moment he wondered how she'd found her way up without tripping or spilling. Then he saw Lissa at her side, helping her walk and carrying a set of cups.
"What are you doing up here?"
"I feel better outside," Robin shifted uneasily from foot to foot, still testing her balance. "Seeing the ocean, and hearing the breeze. Indoors my balance feels even worse and..."
"She seemed to court a lot of foot pains, getting this meal up to you." Lissa chimed in. "So I suggest you take it. You have to be hungry and more than a little bored, right? So we might as well share a meal."
He opened his mouth to protest; they'd only be bored up here, or catch a chill from the mists-
He snapped his mouth shut when he looked at Robin. Her eyes had strayed over the side of the ship. True to her word, the sight of the waters seemed to relax her. She even managed to tumble into the bench cushions without spilling any food.
Though that put her out of reach, with his hands busy at the wheel. Lissa gave him something else to grip, as she shoved a mug of something warm into his hand. Virion's tea sent a wave of warmth into his palm, welcome against the evening's chill.
"Besides," Lissa had an impish grin, as she took him by the shoulder and steered him towards the bench. "If you're busy with eating, that means SOMEONE has to mind the tiller and steer this ship!"
"...So that was your evil plan all this time. Tempt me with delicious food so you can have a go at the wheel." Chrom said. It didn't diminish Lissa's smile.
"I prefer to think of it more as bribery. You ARE going to take my offer though, right?" Chrom's stomach gave a loud growl, interrupting any arguments he could make. He found himself taking a seat next to Robin, taking up the bread and cheese she offered.
Robin took a nibble of the meal, her face lighting up in surprise.
"This… this is good!" Chrom raised his eyebrows at that; it was actually simple rations, as far as the stores in the Shepherd went. It had to be, with Virion up top and Stahl on patrol. But still, Robin bit into the food with clear relish, like it was her first time eating bread. It was enough to prompt Chrom to dig in, and try to match her bite for bite.
"Well, glad you're both enjoying the meal so much-"
Lissa trailed off, blinking against something and scrunching her nose. The next second, Chrom felt a raindrop splash him across the face. Followed by a low rumble of thunder overhead. The seas were growing choppy as well, sending up spray where they struck the sides of the Shepherd.
The setting sun had been swallowed whole by a set of violet clouds, their underbellies so thick and swollen with rain that they'd gone black. They were eating the light at a frightening rate, speeding towards The Shepherd.
"W-wait, what happened to that kinda clear night we were getting promised!?" Lissa squeaked out, her knuckles going tight on the steering wheel. Her face was already looking a touch green as she stared at the choppy waters scudding towards them.
"Ah, drown me." Chrom groaned. "We've got another storm to deal with!" His hair prickled on the back of his neck, and he saw Robin's wince in the corner of his eye.
"I… Don't think any of the mages can call up winds, once that thing hits." Lissa said. "There's something about it that m-makes it hard to focus."
"Nothing for it; we'll have to ride it out, and hope we've just hit the edge of it."
-o-o-o-
The lightning kept trying to steal her sight, and the winds flatten her to the deck. Robin braced against all of them, clinging to the seat and wincing on every pulse of thunder.
She'd only been half aware for the last storm. And the growl of the storm told Robin she might long for blacking out. The lightning was constant as a heart beat, each bolt a dazzling claw that split the sky and turned night into day.
Then came a massive bolt of lightning. One so bright and close that it filled the eyes with white, then a split second of black. The snarl in the thunder was the only warning they had, before the blast of sound slammed full force into the chest.
'Gods, the rain!' Underwater or above, she had the feeling it would make no difference; they'd be drowning either way. Her hair was already plastered against her head, the water running in rivulets down her face and off her chin. Chrom was no better, looking like he'd just been fished out of the ocean all over again.
And still the storm wouldn't go silent. Each boom of thunder was an explosion. And so loud it didn't matter how many times they'd heard it; it still put a jump into their limbs with each crash.
Chrom stood against the wind and rain, bracing against the rail and searching for something.
"Come on…" She barely heard him over the thunder. "There has to be a safe route through this…"
He looked so small against the storm, the memory of him moving so sure across the deck a vanishing sight. It stopped her short of ducking into the ship's cabin.
'Not going to let them face this alone.' And besides there was something to the storm that made her feel… alive. Almost back in her element, with her nerves buzzing-
There was something else shivering against her skin, that didn't belong to the rain or her heartbeat. Robin glanced down… and swore that the compass around her neck pulsed in time to the storm. She closed her hand around the compass… and forgot her fear for a moment, and the chill of the rain. Her eyes lifted up, and she saw for a moment a pattern to the waves.
-o-o-o-
"Chrom!" He cursed under his breath, spinning around. Only a few conversations shared, but he already knew that voice.
"Robin, what are you doing out here? You need to-"
"I know, I know!" She cut him off, raising an arm against the rain. She shivered out of reflex, her words shaky as Robin forced them out. "But just sitting in a cabin doesn't feel right to me! I-I think I can help!"
'Even if you haven't found your sea legs?' Chrom wondered. But he didn't have time to argue, with the way the winds whipped around them. The ship nearly went sideways from the force of the waves. The smack of rain added to the tumult, along with the crash of waves; all of it conspired to make his ears ring.
'Wait-?' He blinked, wondering if there was more than just his ears ringing. It was almost like the storm carried a note with it… But with the ship threatening to capsize, he didn't have the time or the luxury to dwell on it.
Or dwell on how he was still worried about Robin.
"Fine, but stick close to me! The last thing we need is you going overboard again!"
"Likewise!" She returned. A howl of wind stole any retort he might have given, and the Shepherd listed in the waves. Lissa braced against the wheel, praying out loud that they didn't swamp or tip.
The Shepherd answered Lissa's wishes, proving her mettle against the surges. They got her prow pointing into the waves, riding them up and down.
"Chrom, what IS that!? S-starboard side!" Lissa's voice yanked their heads up. Her free hand pointed out... to the left Chrom couldn't help but notice. But any need to correct her faded.
There was another ship battling the waves, and crashing towards them. Chrom put a hand on the spokes, and helped Lissa spin the wheel. The Shepherd snapped to his command and banked hard. He swore the ship moved with them, intent on drawing close to them… Or crashing headlong against the Shepherd.
'Assuming that doesn't destroy their ship in the process!' Even at this distance, he could see it was a miserable, near wreck of a thing. The sails were shredded to ribbons, leaving the vessel at the mercy of the current. The masts were splinters, and it was a wonder the ship hadn't sunk with the countless gouges in the hull and sides.
"Pirate's work?" He muttered under his breath. A second later the ship veered into shouting range. He left Lissa to steer, and cupped his hands over his mouth.
"Hail, travelers! Do you need help in this storm? How did you come by so much damage?" No response came. Save for the creaking of the other ship's timbers, and the snap of the loose ropes hanging from her masts.
"Chrom..." Lissa gave a low warning. A shiver tried to creep up his spine; something felt very, VERY wrong here. Worse than the storm springing up from nowhere. In the back of his head and at the edges of his hearing, a strange hum seemed to buzz through him, amplifying the ringing in his ears. Robin gave a confused noise in the back of her throat, almost matching that sound.
Even though the rogue ship didn't answer him, there were signs of it being manned. Shadowy forms swarmed up and down the rigging and across the gutted deck. But there was something jerky and shuddering in their actions, as if they were mere husks controlled by something else.
All of the ship's motions happened in complete silence; there was only the howl of the wind, and the crackle of lightning. Chrom gripped the hilt of Falchion. His fists struggled against the tremble spreading from his back and trying to sink into his arms. The crew raised their eyes in the same motion, the same instant. Their heads swiveled, and with the way Chrom's hair stood on end, he knew they were all looking at him.
He saw the red in their gaze, lighting their eyes like a dozen torches dug into their sockets.
"Is... is such a sight common here?" Robin managed, and Chrom shook his head.
"I've never seen anything close to that." The ship swung closer, and he saw more details, much as a part of him wanted to shut his eyes to it. The crew was gaunt, skeletal in parts... and his stomach threatened to bring up his dinner when he realized some of them had bones showing through their tattered limbs. Shredded uniforms hung about their bodies in rags, their faces a patchwork of sewn together flesh... where there wasn't exposed jaw bones.
"These things don't belong in the realm of the living!" He snapped out.
"Um, Chrom? CHROM!? Hey I really appreciate that you let me take the Shepherd for a while but they're kind of angled right towards us and I kinda don't know what to do so if you could take the wheel and start giving orders thatwouldbegreatokaythanks!" Lissa yelped out.
Chrom yanked his gaze from the skeletal crew. He saw Lissa was right. The entire ship tilted towards them, carried on by some unseen force. Streams of purple smoke billowed from the stumps of the masts, almost masking the violence that had been visited on the ship. The noxious smoke trailed out as the ship picked up speed, and slipped through the stormwinds with unnerving ease. As though carried by sorcery, the ship surged towards the Shepherd fast as an arrow from a bow.
"Drown me!" Chrom cursed. He stared out across the deck. Sully and Stahl both bolted across, looking over their shoulders at the thing bearing down on them. Their path led them away from shelter, instead towards the weapons locker. "Gods help us, but we have a second fight on our hands! Lissa, go with them! Help bring out the weapons-"
Lissa was already sprinting down the stairs and into the stern cabin. Robin however stood fixed to her spot, not breaking her stare from the ghost ship. A strange note crept into her voice, a soft hum that matched whatever was on the edge of Chrom's hearing. The rest of the crew prepared for a fight, shouting curses at the approaching ship… But none of them seemed to notice the strange sound.
"Hey, guys!" Lissa's voice snatched at Chrom's focus, pulling him away from the looming threat. She scrambled up from the weapons locker, waving her find in the air. She clutched a tome, the paper pages rustling from the stormwinds, and the gold trim glinted in the lamplight.
"I found an extra spellbook! Maybe Robin can use-"
Sumia cried out a warning, the details stolen by the wind. But Chrom heard the alarm in it. He turned his attention out and over the bulwarks. Just in time to see the bow of the undead ship barrel in out of the gloom, a nightmare turned real and ruthless. The wind deserted their own ship, leaving them hobbled… And helpless against the attack.
"Shi-! EVERYONE, BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Chrom shouted. Crew members dove for handholds or cover. Lissa heard him, tried to to do the same... but moved too slow. She turned to where the ghost ship was instead of dropping prone.
The ship crashed into their side with a groan and a splintering of timber. The enemy's rotten hull was smashed to driftwood in a blink. But it threw a shudder across the Shepherd. Robin collapsed, knocked clean off her feet and hitting the deck with a pained gasp. There were shouts and groans from the other Shepherds-
But the worst was what happened to Lissa. She lurched with the impact, fetching up against the side of the Shepherd. The spell book dropped from her fingers in a flicker of gold, her hands only managing to grasp empty air. She teetered against the railing for a heartbeat... then went over with a shriek.
"LISSA!" Chrom screamed out. He left the wheel to spin, not even bothering to see if it was secured. He vaulted the stairs, dashing to where she'd gone over.
'Gods, gods!' His heart tried to choke out his throat the entire way. His terror said he wouldn't see anything over the side; that she'd already sunk beneath the waves-
A yellow flutter of fabric caught his eye. Chrom leaned over, seeing her tangled in a coil of rope that had come loose. He let out a breath; she looked a little bruised from her fall, but the ropes were holding. She was safe.
And more than just safe, as she stared up at him and screamed "CHROM, BEHIND YOU!" Something in her voice made him draw Falchion at the same instant he spun around. The blade caught an axe that would've taken his head. A rotting face leered at him from behind the blade, noxious smoke spewing from its mouth.
Beyond, the undead crew flung themselves onto the Shepherd. The wreckage clung on like an old scab to the side of their ship. He forced strength into his arms, trying to throw the walking corpse off of him-
A bolt of magic stopped his efforts short. The spell slammed into the dead man and sent his limbs twitching… or at least those that didn't explode from such an overload of magic.
"...Okay," Came Robin's voice. "I... I think I've got this. I can definitely deal out a few more, at least!"
When he lifted his gaze from the body, he saw Robin leaning against the brig's side. Lissa's spell book was gripped tight in her hands, electricity arcing from the pages. The Risen swarmed towards them both, leaving them precious little breathing room. Or time to yank up Lissa. Chrom grit his teeth, praying the ropes would hold her for the moment.
"Then let's drive these things back to the depths!"
-o-o-o-
'Hurry!' The word screamed across Lucina's mind, and she put on a burst of speed. Overhead the skies wept and the waves frothed. A hazy memory tried to claw its way into her head, that she'd been dropped into the ocean in weather equal to this-
But she had no time to focus, or remember. Panic coursed through her and made her tail thrash. She chased after the Shepherd through night stained waters. Only the crash of lightning illuminated her way now. Through the pulses of light, she picked out the other ship… and how it was straight on a collision course.
She couldn't see any of the crew, atop that gutted ship. She showed her teeth all the same, glaring at the vessel and throwing herself towards the surface.
Maybe she couldn't remember much… but she didn't need to, compared to the feeling surging through her blood. The gut knowledge that she had to stop whatever was bearing down on her ship.
-o-o-o-
As it turned out, Lissa mused, there were worse things than being caught up in a battle at sea. For instance, hanging by one's feet in tangled rigging and listening to a battle at sea.
'I think I'm getting even more seasick than last time. Didn't think that was possible.' It turned out cheese and bread didn't sit well in the gut. At least not when one's stomach was trying to fall through one's throat, with every roll and pitch of the ship.
The sounds overhead didn't help with that nauseated feeling. Sickening wet noises punctuated each blade swipe, followed by the thunk of dismembered limbs hitting the deck. Lissa could picture how easily those parts were cleaved off, considering how their attackers were well on their way towards decomposing.
Lissa caught a few glimpses of the skirmishes even now. Some foes were driven to the edge of the brig by an attack. Others tried to pin the Shepherd's crew between the ship and a weapon. She saw Stahl barely ducking under a rusted axe in time, and leaving it embedded in the rail. The dead man tried to wrench the axe free, but Sully's spear found a way through the thing's skull, ending its struggles for good.
None of the corpses had seen her fall overboard. The sea threw up gouts of spray that soaked her to the bone and obscured her from any baleful red eyes.
Lissa decided not to find out what would happen if she hung there for much longer. She hoisted herself up with a grunt. Her fingers hooked into the ropes around her ankles, using them as a climbing line. She pulled herself up the rest of the way, muttering encouragement to herself as she shimmied up the wall of the ship.
"C'mon Lissa, c'mon. You don't want to make Chrom or Maribelle worry about you, spoils how well they can fight! You need to get back up there and heal anyone who needs it, come on!" Her arms shook, but still listened to her.
Off to her side, the skeletal husk of a ship gave another groan, a few more planks on the hull breaking free. But still the ship clung on, and Lissa's heart sank when she saw the fresh wounds in the side of the Shepherd. On her maiden voyage, and she'd already been marred by battle scars.
'Then get up there and show them what happens when they do that!' She urged herself, kicking her feet free from the knots and loops binding them. The ropes bit into her hands, her entire weight hanging by her fingers. She swung free, her legs kicking out before her feet thudded into the side of the brig.
'Now to just get up the rest of the way-' She froze mid-thought. Lissa stared up at the Shepherd's rail. One of the undead soldiers stared down at her, axe in hand and ready to bring it crashing down on the ropes.
"Um…guys? Little help?" Lissa squeaked out, but no one turned to her voice. All of them busy with their own fights.
"I said HELP!" Lissa screamed out, prompting Chrom to turn… but too slow, the Risen out of reach. It drew it's axe back, ready to cut her into the waiting jaws of the ocean. Lissa found herself glancing away, to see how unforgiving the waves really looked-
The water exploded underneath her, spray plastering her hair flat and blinding her. Her sleeve scratched at her cheek as Lissa tried to rub her face clear. She forced her eyes open and her gaze upwards, terrified she'd see the axes falling on the ropes and sending her into the ocean.
She was greeted with something quite different.
A single claw of lightning split the sky for an instant. It threw the Risen into sharp contrast. Their eyes were the only thing that still glowed, the rest of their flesh bleached and washed out. The masts of the brig framed the light torn sky. The Shepherds gathered around them, either fighting or shielding their sights from the glare.
She was the only one who saw the figure outlined in the sky. It hung at the apex of a leap that took it clear out of the sea. The lightning flash made the thing's scales blaze in an azure flame. The tail thrashed once, twice, as if it could swim through the air. Beyond it, Lissa blinked and stared.
'That can't be-?' Her thoughts reeled, doubting there was a human attached to the fishtail. But there was skin in place of scales, long arms and a skein of hair as brilliant and sapphire-hued as the tail.
The mermaid twisted midair, lashing out in a cutting motion with her hands-
And the lightning forked once more. Lissa cried out, screwing her eyes shut a moment too late. The world turned white and black. When she blinked away the dazzle, the Risen were gone, only a collection of ashes stirring in the storm wind.
'What-?' The storm wasn't finished with its surprises. Beside her came another explosion of light, as the storm bolts blasted into the opposing ship.
When she looked up, the girl was gone. In her place were tongues of flame, devouring the gutted enemy ship. But Lissa didn't linger on those, instead casting about for the girl. For a heartbeat, she thought she saw a blue tail against the waves, before it vanished.
'The same blue as before, in the storm.' She could have stared for hours, if her arms weren't threatening to give out. She forced herself up, hand over hand-
Only for the rope to get yanked up the rest of the way. Chrom's face waited for her on the other end, his eyes wide and staring. When he caught sight of Lissa, he threw his hands around her.
"Ah, thank the gods- are you alright? Are you hurt? I saw those things trying to kill you-"
"N-no, no! I'm fine," Lissa said, struggling to get enough breath into her squished lungs. She balanced on the tips of her toes to look over Chrom's shoulder. The rest of the Shepherds were intact, at least. Of the enemy, only faint wisps of purple smoke remained.
"Captain, we have the wind again," came Frederick's voice. With it came the squeal of a dying ship, as the last of the rotted husk crumbled away. The Shepherd finally shed the vestiges of the wreck.
If it hadn't been for the clatter and shriek of splintering wood, Lissa would've sworn she just woken from a nightmare. It certainly would've explained the things she'd seen.
-o-o-o-
"Ch-Chrom, you wouldn't believe what I saw!" Lissa finally found her voice, once Chrom convinced his fingers that they could safely release her. And that she wouldn't find another way to fall off the Shepherd.
"S-something came out of the water! It was a mermaid, just like the stories!" Lissa bounced from foot to foot, hardly able to contain herself. "A-and-"
Chrom sighed, shaking his head. He didn't think she had the capacity to joke after that encounter... but she was full of surprises. Still, he tried to humor her.
"Ah, Lissa. Your progress is something else; only one trip to sea, and you already have your own fish story." That stopped her short, mouth hanging open.
"But- but I wasn't- I really saw-!" She tried, before giving a squeak of an angry growl. "Okay, okay. Fine. So you don't believe me."
"In our defense, we saw one impossible thing already. So you'll forgive me if I'm a bit worn out. You must've seen a dolphin scared by the storm and... and whatever THOSE things were."
Chrom blinked as he said that, looking astern to where the burning wreck of the ship slipped beneath the waves.
"...Though we were uncommonly lucky, to have the storm strike the way it did. That last bolt of lightning tore into those things, and damaged their ship. Naga must have been watching out for us, somehow-"
His words cut out, as the storm gave another snarl. The Shepherd listed, and when he stared across the waves, a collection of jagged rocks stared back at them. The ship collision had smashed them off course, and into their path.
-o-o-o-
The thunder snarled overhead… a sign the storm wasn't quite done with them yet.
Robin shivered, rubbing at her bare arms. The rain chill had been replaced with a hot sensation, wherever ocean spray splashed the skin. And the note she'd heard, right when the ghost ship appeared, still teased her senses.
'No time to dwell on on that now.'
Chrom ducked his head, fighting his way back to the ship wheel. Robin stumbled after him, trying to shut out the note, wondering at how Chrom winced and shook his head.
Almost like he was struggling under the same thing. She tried not to crash into the bench as she watched him, but to mixed results.
"I think-" She'd meant to look Chrom in the eyes when she spoke. But instead her gaze stuck at the prow, and the roiling waves beyond. Robin rubbed at her eyes, wondering if they were playing tricks on her; she swore that there was another pattern to the currents, and almost a glow in some spots.
Just like before, only now there wasn't a phantom ship to distract her… Just a collection of sharp looking rocks. But among those rocks, she glimpsed a swirl to the sea foam, a way the currents twisted and reached for the winds.
"Chrom, steer hard to the right, after this next wave. I think we have enough sail out."
"What are you-?" In the corner of her eye, she saw his hands still on the tiller. "Robin, that would swamp the ship faster than you could breathe!"
"It won't, I promise! But if you don't turn, we're going to be dashed against the rocks." A bolt of lightning proved her point, illuminating the rocky crags rising from the sea.
Chrom spat out a curse, and threw himself against the wheel. The Shepherd gave a low groan of protest-
Until her sails billowed out, catching the shift of the wind. The Shepherd shot past the rocks, listing a little to her side where she climbed the next wave. But she didn't tip, the currents and wind both pushing her over and to a clearer section of sea.
"H... how did you-?" Chrom breathed out. Robin pulled her eyes from the currents, to meet his bewildered gaze.
"I-I don't know. I just... well, SAW how the waves would move. I knew which way the oceans would flow, for a heartbeat."
"You're saying you can read the ocean at a glance?"
"I... absurd as that sounds, yes-" Chrom's surprise melted away, replaced with an admiring look.
"Nothing absurd about it, since I saw the proof myself. You've a rare talent, between that and how you handled yourself in combat. You were-" her ears burned at the praise, to the point she was grateful when Frederick interrupted.
"All's well, and the storm is clearing." He spoke the truth; the clouds were parting. The world turned silver as the moon broke through the last traces of the storm. "But how did you manage to get us through the last of that-?"
"Well, I think Robin and I both have some things to tell you... though ideally, after we get some rest."
-o-o-o-
At last the storm quelled.
Those eyes haunted her, even after she'd slipped below the waves. The way they'd stared at her, the shock and disbelief that she even existed.
For the first time, it made her body feel... off. Like it wasn't in the shape it was supposed to be; the scales too tight and binding her limbs, the gills long cuts along her neck. All of it wasn't natural to who she was supposed to be-
Lucina thrashed her head, the bubbles from the motion getting trapped in her hair.
'No, no. Don't think that; you HAVE to focus on swimming! You saw that there was one person on board and... and you need to...' Her memories went blank again, and her teeth squeaked from her clenched jaw.
Under the blaze of her frustration, her thoughts cleared. The awkwardness in her body faded as well… But it didn't distill the need to shadow the ship. If anything, it increased her determination.
She remembered the figure casting spells, her white hair brilliant against the storm. It had been just for a glimpse, before gravity yanked Lucina under the waves.
'She's key... an important person. Her and someone else. And I KNOW that I'll understand when I see them again.'