Chapter 14: Wreckage
It took some time for Chrom to convince himself it was safe to let go of the wheel, prying his hands away one finger at a time. Thankfully no one rushed him. Frederick stood close by, ready to take the ship once Chrom collapsed onto the bench.
"Finally out of it..." Chrom mumbled, hands shaking. "So what's the damage, Frederick?"
The way Frederick paused before answering wasn't reassuring. Neither was the pained noise in the back of his throat.
"The temporary repairs to the Shepherd were all dashed. Those pirates may have been ruffians, but they were also skilled with their aim. Our sails are barely holding together, as are the ropes. The hull is badly bruised in some places, and there's only splinters between us and taking on water. It's a wonder she's still afloat."
"And we're still separated from any Ylisstol ships." Chrom groaned.
"Due to the course we took, yes. We were already far from any aid from the convoy, thanks to the storms and the lighthouse." Chrom didn't want to open his eyes. The sea would look far too hostile.
"I don't suppose there's any good news to be had-?"
"Land!" Sumia's shout drifted down from the lookout. "Or- ships? Towns? There's SOMETHING on the horizon!"
Up in the crow's nest, the late day sun caught on Virion's spyglass. Chrom shaded his eyes against the glare, trying to peer across sun flecked waters.
"Actually, my good lady and gentlemen, it appears to be a combination of both." Virion called. Frederick produced a looking glass for Chrom, and he saw the truth in Sumia and Virion's words.
It was a floating collection of ships, all lashed together to form a wooden island. Masts jutted upwards, jostling for sky space with shacks cobbled together by rope and stray boards. Even a few hulls had been set upright and carved out to serve as buildings.
"What on earth is that?" Robin whispered.
"Wreckage." Chrom answered.
"Well yes, I can plainly see that there are a lot of shipwrecks there-"
"No, no. I mean that's the name of the place. Wreckage." Chrom clarified. "I've heard of it, but never seen it myself. It's a floating town, carved from boats and driftwood. Owing allegiance to no one."
"And infamous for the number of pirates it attracts." Frederick said. "Milord, I suggest we go wide; there's no telling what would happen if we docked there-"
"Didn't you say we're in bad condition?"
"Yes, but..." Frederick sighed out, sounding well and truly vexed.
"Look; with the battering we took, any pirate loyal to Gangrel will be hard pressed to identify us as the Shepherd." Chrom nodded to their sails; the fabric was a mess of tatters, without any clear pattern or colors. The flag had been sheared away, leaving them as another unmarked ship.
"And we NEED to get back to Ylisse as fast as possible. We all agree with you on that. We can only do that with a stable craft."
"Will you at least give orders for most to stay on board? And those who DO go out for materials must keep a low profile?"
"Of course." And hopefully, he could set a better example than he had in Ferox.
-o-o-o-
Waves splashed against the hulls of Wreckage. Each step drew a hollow thud out of the planks. It reminded Chrom that only a finger's width of rotting wood stood between him and the ocean beneath.
The thought should have been unnerving; instead it was reassuring. Like there was a friend in easy reach, no matter how deep he went into the city.
Chrom rolled his shoulders, now free from his cloak. He'd hashed it out with Emmeryn, agreeing to leave anything that would mark him as a prince shored up in his quarters. That, and he'd cover up his mark and sword, hiding them away from prying eyes. His blue clothing still showed up clear against the wooden planks, a matching blue leather patch over his marked arm.
Together, he and Robin moved through the town. Robin tugged at her own robe as she walked beside him, hunched into her clothing almost like a turtle in its shell.
"I'm not entirely clear on why you chose me." She confessed, looking bewildered.
"Because you're a quick thinker, remember? You got us out of that last scrape." That, and he found himself at ease when she was nearby; to the point that he'd picked her out of the crew without a second thought, trusting her to watch his back.
Soon the splash of water was drowned out by myriad voices; most of them shouting. Greetings, insults, and drunken song all blended together to form a net of sound.
Robin's shoulder brushed with his, but she barely noticed the contact; not with the way her head was constantly turning, trying to pick things out.
"Never seen something like this?"
"It... it certainly FEELS new. Makes me wonder if I have a homeland, or if I only came into being when you plucked me out of the water." She tried to put on a smile, but he saw how forced it was.
"Robin," he wanted to tell her not to worry... but a crash in one of the buildings, followed by the shattering of glass and someone cursing showed this wasn't a town where they could let their guard down. Not with a brawl waiting around every corner, or behind any given window.
But for all that danger, Robin had a distant quality to her eyes. She kept glancing over her shoulder, back towards the ocean.
"Robin? You alright?" She blinked at him in confusion, like she'd just been off in her own bubble and he'd popped it. "What's gotten into you? We need to be on our toes around here."
She went pink at that, her eyes darting around the town to make up for the lapse.
"O-of course. My apologies, it's just… I guess I still have a lot I'm wondering about. L-like that… girl we encountered." He thought of the blue scaled Mer, and the odd patterns her tail had flashed. Like at the light house, it felt like there was some meaning to the symbols, just outside of his grasp.
"…I wonder if I just imagined what I saw." Robin muttered. "Saw similarities where there weren't any, and pulled the word mo-"
Robin snapped to attention once she realized he could hear her.
"I…I'm overthinking it. We were just lucky that those Mer decided to help us. That's all it could be. A-and we have more pressing things to worry about, right now." Sadly, he couldn't argue with that.
"D-don't worry for me; it's more important to focus on the present right now. I know that much." Robin assured him. "So... where do we start?"
"A tavern, maybe? If you want gossip, that tends to be a good place. If there's word about Gangrel's pirate fleet, odds are we can find it there... I just hope it goes better than the Feroxi place."
-o-o-o-
Robin took in the tavern. Fishnets clung to the sides of the door, spread out in an odd sort of awning and make-shift decoration. 'The Drowned Sailor' was carved above the door, looking like the letters were gouged by a knife.
They walked into the inside of a pocket. The windows were shuttered, and only a few weak rays of light made it over the rooftops and into the doorway. The furniture had seen better days… at least the stuff that had once been furniture, instead of barrels sawed in half and repurposed into tables and chairs. But those taking up the seats didn't seem to mind. It made for a tight space, with the number of people inside.
A glance at their clothing showed some of them were cut from the same cloth as Gangrel's men.
"Seems you were right," Robin whispered, following Chrom to the counter. When they reached the bartender, Chrom spoke in a low voice. Robin lost many of his words, amongst the clatter of drinking glasses, and the slams of arms getting wrestled to tables.
"Gangrel-" she picked out fragments from Chrom. "He has clout here, doesn't he?"
The air seemed even closer, as people caught the name and leaned in closer to the bar.
"…Who wants to know?" The bartender frowned. There seemed to be a stillness, sweeping around those in earshot of Chrom.
"I… I'm just curious, is all." Chrom tried to offer. "And… Thirsty, at the moment?"
That lost some of the suspicion in the man's eyes. Enough that he agreed to pour Chrom and Robin some drinks. They took them, and tried to find some safe place to figure out a new strategy.
"Hey, Blue. Watching you try to get information is a little bit embarrassing for me, okay?" A voice drifted into Robin's ears. From the way Chrom went rigid, he heard the same. Still, he managed to turn slowly, not looking too rushed as he faced the speaker.
"...Pardon?" Robin found a man dressed in the odd piecemeal, tattered dark cloth that passed for outfits here. A band of black wound around his head, and he brushed a few orange bangs out of his face as he looked up at Chrom.
"Yeah, talking to you. Listen, how about you pull up a chair real quick." Chrom and Robin exchanged a look, before both giving a cautious nod.
'It's just one man.' Robin assured herself.
"Good, so you can learn and take good advice when it's offered." The orange haired man nodded, satisfied when they sat down at his table.
"What did you mean, that you were embarrassed?"
"Second hand embarrassment, Blue. Your spycraft needs A LOT of work to keep from being so obvious. See those guys at the far end of the bar- actually don't turn around, just take my word they're there. But you keep asking pointed questions... well, they might get it into their heads that you're both new around here, and make for a good target. Either to rob or ransom, take your pick."
"They could TRY." Chrom growled, their new acquaintance tossing up his hands.
"Hey, hey! I never said they'd be successful, 'specially with that pig-sticker you keep trying to hide under your sash. But I'll bet commotion like that would make trouble for you... and I'll also bet you'd sooner avoid it."
"Well, at least we know not to make a wager with you." Robin said, pleased that bit of flattery coaxed out a grin. "...But I take it you have an interest in helping us?"
"Yeah, for the right price. Maybe I'll even give you some pointers." He waved his fingers to the surroundings.
"Here's the thing; if you show up in Wreckage, you need to look, act, and talk the part. You need to have a swagger in your step, that shows you know your way around. Need to be rougher in your speech, too. And you DEFINITELY need to upgrade... or I guess downgrade your clothing. You stick out like a sore thumb otherwise. Believe me, you don't want to stick out and make yourself into an easy mark-"
He trailed off as someone threw aside the tavern door, storming in.
"Gaius, if you're not gonna drink then free up the table for someone who will!" The orange haired man, Gaius, stiffened a little at his name. He turned his eyes over, to a scruffy looking man with brown hair. There was a set to the man's shoulders, a swagger that Robin didn't much care for.
"Ah, relax a bit, Vasto. My new friends here have it covered...right, friends?" He gave Chrom a cheeky grin. To Robin's surprise, the prince gave a wry chuckle.
"Aye, this should cover it." Chrom reached into his belt pouch, opening the draw strings and fishing out some coins to toss onto the table. Gaius pocketed the coin, flicking one onto the bar table.
Vasto gave a grumble at that… but retreated when Chrom paid for the drinks. He turned his back on them, giving up the conflict once Gaius pressed a spare coin into his palm with a muttered, "no hard feelings."
Gaius turned to Chrom with a smile.
"Good man, you learn fast... but what's that you've got?" He jabbed a finger at an extra bag resting against the table.
"Ah, it got tangled on my fingers. And I hate to let your expectations down, but it's nothing valuable. Only some candies I was going to gift my sister-"
"Those, that's..." Gaius eyes were fixed to the table. Not the money, but instead the cloth sack.
"...Sugar..." the way he said it sounded half like a prayer. His eyes snapped up to Chrom. "What do you want done? What information do you need? I'll do it, for those."
"Well…" Chrom glanced between Gaius and the bag of candy, before gathering up a few pieces in his fingers. He laid the first one on the table, a curious red candy Gaius fixated on. "For starters, where exactly is Gangrel getting all these forces? And how is he able to pose such a threat towards Ylisse?"
When Gaius paused, Chrom laid an extra piece of candy on the table, for incentive.
"A lot of people are wondering that; he used to be another pirate, who scrapped together a ship and a crew. But now he's got most of Wreckage in his pocket. And those are DEEP pockets, by the way." Gaius drew the candy pieces into his palm.
"That's how he can pose a threat to Ylisse, by the by. Numbers… and I guess it helps when you suddenly can afford ships from Valm. I've had a look at them myself, and all of them look Valmese. Put that together with coins minted from there… and you can get an idea on where that influence is coming from."
"...Valm?" Chrom whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Gangrel is getting backed by VALM? But why? There's an ocean between them and us, so why are they looking at our borders now?"
Another handful of candy pieces scattered across the table.
"Why wouldn't they." Gaius shot back. "The new excellency over there, he's got a greedy eye. And he's got it on Ylisse. But if it pays for our ale and food, I ain't gonna complain."
"…You're shameless." Chrom growled.
"I'm a survivor and an opportunist.. But don't worry, I won't sell you out, either. One thing Gangrel's never managed to figure out is that some of us have a sweet tooth. YOU on the other hand, have."
That got Chrom to glance around, worried at the others in the bar.
"But what about the others-"
"Hey, you paid for drinks. That makes you alright by these people, Vasto included."
"Right… drinks." Chrom looked down at his for the first time, considering it. Robin tried to mirror it… but was put off by the bitter, almost eye watering smell. Chrom simply narrowed his eyes, before taking a cautious sip-
And immediately started coughing and sputtering, almost choking on the taste. Gaius winced at his reaction.
"…Oof. Yeah, Blue. You really need to work on your taste for grog if you wanna pass as a native…" He trailed off when Vasto took notice, slowly easing his way upright.
"You know. I heard rumors your new friend asks odd questions. And now he can't hold his drink at all." The man thumbed at a hand axe at his belt. "He doesn't LOOK like a pirate, the more I think about it. More like an interloper… and one that might have some leverage."
Chrom tensed in his seat, frowning up at Vasto.
"…You're sure about Vasto being alright?"
"I've been known to misjudge people before." Gaius tried, moving to stand… only freeze in place as Vasto drew his axe.
The motion made Robin twitch into action.
Robin lashed out, the slop from her glass splashing into Vasto's face. Apparently the stuff burned at eyes just as badly as it burned at throats. The pirate reeled backwards, hissing out a curse.
"That works!" Gaius yelled, throwing his glass at Vasto's head. The cup caught him in the cheek, staggering him further. Gaius took the opening, grabbing Chrom and Robin by the hands. He yanked them out the door.
"Damn them! All of you, do whatever it takes to hunt them down!" Vasto screamed. "Gangrel isn't far off… and he'll pay good gold for their wretched corpses, once he docks!"
-o-o-o-
Running felt like the best choice, so Chrom indulged in it.
Chrom slipped from Gaius' grip once they hit the streets. He easily matched the thief, dash and stride. Since Robin struggled he grabbed her other hand, guiding her and speeding her steps where she stumbled.
With each step, he saw the gold compass on her neck flash gold. It made an attractive target to any pirates. The buccaneers would likely tear it off Robin's neck if they caught her, and likely cut her throat for good measure.
"Robin-" He cut out. The planks underfoot gave way, plunging him leg deep into tepid water. Quite suddenly, the presence of ocean didn't feel reassuring any longer. His knee slammed painfully into the wood of the docks, making them groan and spinter. Chrom bit back a hiss of pain, blinking away stars. His body slumped from the impact, ready to fall through the gap-
A pair of hands yanked him away. Robin wheezed from the effort, but refused to let go. She pulled him back from the reach of the waves, onto more stable ground.
"T-tell me you're okay?" She gasped out. He answered with a nod, not trusting his voice. He struggled to find his bearings and tried not to look at that void in the floor, lest he found a way to fall back through.
"Damn, that's gonna cost us some time…" Gaius growled out. Chrom grumbled a curse of his own. The pounding footsteps grew closer, and he doubted they could regain any distance.
That didn't keep them from trying, though. His knee screamed with each step, but Chrom forced himself forward. He wasn't sure if he was the one guiding Robin, or if she supported him.
Maybe it was a little of both. Robin leaned against his shoulder so his leg wouldn't give out, giving them just enough balance to scramble forward. Ahead the path parted against hulls and ramshackle buildings.
"Split up here!" Gaius suggested… and then shoved them into an alley Chrom hadn't even noticed. Chrom yanked Robin against his chest to keep her from spilling face first into the ground. His leg didn't have the same reflexes, and folded from the strain of their combined weight. The world pitched diagonal before his shoulder bashed into the wall.
He swallowed any pained noises, instead holding his breath as he pressed himself into the shadows. The wood from the buildings scrapped against his neck and arm, drawing little lines of pain. Robin's touch was a soft contrast, where she leaned against him. Her robe was silken, the dark colors helping them to blend in.
A swarm of pirates streamed past the alley, splitting down both forks in the road. Threats and curses echoed down the streets, as twisted and rotten as the wood around them. Terrible promises of torture and watery tombs filled their ears and stilled their breathing to a near halt. The logical part of Chrom knew there was no way the pirates could hear the whisper of his breath… But the rest of him wasn't convinced.
Robin froze against him, desperate to stay still even while her back shuddered from the effort. Chrom bit back his own curse when he felt her shiver, and fought to stay hidden instead of visiting pain on the ones who threatened her. He focused on holding her up, and not moving from their patch of shadow. The pirates never glanced at them, too focused on Gaius' false trail.
A hand clapped over his shoulder, digging hard into his sleeve and wrenching him sideways.
"Milord!" A voice whispered. A second later he recognized the armor on those hands, and stopped his struggles. Frederick stared at him. "Naga's tears, what on earth is going-?"
"Can't really explain right now!" Chrom hissed, twisting out of Frederick's grip. "We've got some pirates breathing down our necks-"
"There was some trouble at a tavern-" Robin said at the same time. Frederick blinked at them, before pinching the bridge of his nose.
"It seems you and taverns have the makings for a lot of trouble."
"Still really don't have the time to debate this." Chrom answered. His eyes darted around, making sure they were still alone in the alley. "Gangrel's fleet is fast approaching; between the alarm and those ships, we run the risk of being caged in."
Frederick didn't approve much of that, given his scowl.
"Then we should make haste, and hope we aren't followed-"
"I'm not sure of that…" Robin murmured, wincing a little when Frederick frowned at her. "I'm sorry to say that Frederick, but given how alert the town is, they'll notice if a ship suddenly departs."
"She has a point… so we'll have to adjust." Chrom pulled Frederick's focus back on himself, and met that frown with a determined look of his own.
"Look, you can upbraid me for taking risks all you want later, when there ISN'T a mob of pirates after us. Is Emmeryn still on board the Shepherd?" At Frederick's nod, Chrom let a grim smile trace across his face. "Good; then get to the docks, and ready the Shepherd to leave. I'll cause a distraction, and get eyes off you."
"Milord, you can't expect me to stand by and allow-"
"Frederick. So far I've won a Feroxi tournament, fought off feral Mer and Risen straight out of legends, banished a storm with a lighthouse, AND ourtran pirates. Can you please have a little faith, that I can pull this off?"
Frederick didn't so much say 'yes' as grumble out something that sounded like halfhearted agreement.
"I'll ready the ship, and get us out to the harbor once we have a chance. But I hope that we'll see you in short order... or else I'm turning the Shepherd around for you."
"Believe me, you'll know when I leave." Chrom assured him. Frederick retreated down the side alley, barely room between his armor and the walls.
"Alright then," Robin's voice reached him. "What exactly is this plan?"
"Well, actually... I was going to leave that up to you to decide-" From the way her mouth dropped open, she wasn't in favor of that idea.
"THAT'S YOUR PLAN!? YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE!?" She clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes widening at her shout. Chrom already knew that the howl of the mob was growing closer.
"Hey, so far we've got their attention and delayed them from acting. So for making it up as we go, I'd say we're doing pretty well."
Chrom turned to the main road. "Now we have to keep it up, and buy the Shepherd time to get out of this noose."
-o-o-o-
'What does he mean, we're doing pretty well!? 'Pretty well' is having time to come up with a plan. Not… Not whatever you call THIS!' Robin's thoughts were a jumble, her eyes darting between the alleys and the chaotic streets. The planks didn't appreciate so many feet pounding over them, with how they creaked in protest.
Chrom led her back out into a blaze of sunlight, raising his voice.
"SEA SCUM!" He bellowed out, making sure his voice carried over to the mob. "You think you can catch us!?"
That spurred a howl, echoing off the sea rotted timbers of the town. He'd drawn the ire of the pirates.
…And it was up to her to figure out how to work with it. They raced half towards the pirates, making sure the mob caught sight of them both. Robin scanned the surroundings, her eyes falling on a half-rotted door.
"Chrom, we want to get through there!" Hopefully that would give them a little more breathing room. Chrom didn't hesitate, slamming his heel into the door and knocking it off the hinges. He ran into the impromptu path through the building, pulling Robin along. She dashed past a bleary eyed sailor, before tackling a rickety staircase.
"See? We're doing fine so far!" Chrom told her.
"You've got a generous definition of 'fine.' And put a lot of faith in me," Robin gasped out. With only one stairway climbed, Chrom's pace set her lungs on fire. Robin didn't know if she could last, running through the town like this. A hallway still lay ahead of her, motes of dust dancing in the light from open windows, and looking impossibly long.
"Because I know you have a talent for it." Chrom said. "Come on, give me your hand." It wasn't an order, but her hand still jumped into his. He gave her fingers a quick squeeze, trying to show he wasn't about to let her go OR leave her behind, regardless of how her feet dragged.
He turned to one of the windows, pushing open the shutters with his free hand. Beyond was a mishmash of roofs… and she could almost see a pattern and a path through them.
"T-try to run to that building!" Below came a crash of furniture overturned, and the slam of boots on the planks. The pirates were bulling their way through the first floor.
'Less focusing on that, more planning! How do you get more space now that you have their attention-' Her head pounded, and her vision started to swim. Chrom threw them out of the window and onto the roofs. A few hops found them at the edge of the roofs. Underneath, the water seemed to slosh a little harder against the wood foundations.
A sack of rotted sails lay below them.
"Pretty sure we can land on those." Robin said. Chrom jumped from the roof's edge and they landed in them with a musty thud. The sheets tangled Robin's limbs, slowing her down… and to make matters worse, the other half of the pirates had returned from Gaius' false chase. She glimpsed Vasto, narrowing his eyes on them and closing the space.
"Come on, get up!" Chrom said, urgently yanking her from the sheets, and completely blind to Vasto.
She saw the axe as a blur of motion, a second before it hit.
"Behind you!" Robin grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him clear.
The motion took her into the blade's path. Pain screamed down her back, and Robin blindly lashed out with a thunder spell. The axe between her shoulders yanked clean as Vasto leapt away. All without her attack scorching a single hair on her target.
'Wasted shot.'
Robin looked over her shoulder, head swimming.
Vasto looked at her over the edge of his axe… now with a new coat of red on the blade. Blood pooled from the new wound, running in hot trails down her back and splattering on the wooden planks. It leaked past the gaps in the floorboards, into the sea below.
"Robin!" Her name was a scream, Chrom's voice going ragged at the end. She went rigid, back burning from the pain, and slumped against Chrom. Her heart pounded loud in her ears… and yet it didn't quite drown out water.
The sea churned underneath, trying to break through the floor. Spray shot through the gaps, as waves sloshed against the wood. It was like a dozen fists were pounding the boards, demanding to be let through.
"Damn you!" Chrom spat at Vasto. He tensed against her. Robin could tell he wanted to fly at Vasto, but thankfully he held himself still, keeping Robin on her feet.
"I'll open your skull soon enough as well, Prince. If you want to try and run however… feel free." Vasto taunted. Robin tried to move her legs. Tried to get them to run before the other pirates could close with them.
The sound of the ocean echoed in her ears, drowning out the rasping of her breath, or the way Chrom panted. Suddenly their flight was the least important thing, compared to what was underfoot. Water splashed, stirring like a restless animal. She could almost, ALMOST reach out and touch it-
Her thoughts floated, and her senses went faint; all in favor of the red liquid dripping down her wounds, and splashing into the sea. On the edges of her mind, she remembered something. The sea witch's words and song twined their way into her thoughts.
Robin echoed the sound, her throat producing a faint song. She managed enough volume that the hum drowned out the rasp of her feet dragging along the docks.
The planks snapped under her foot, loud as a bone breaking. Chrom cursed, yanking her forward before she could fall all the way through-
Pain shot through her skull, blooming as the water reached for her and rivaling the throbbing her back. She flinched, body curling forward. Spray drenched her face, stinging her eyes and nose, before Chrom pulled her back. Seawater chased after her, rushing up through the gap in the floorboards and almost reaching for her.
When it didn't wash over her, the ocean exploded up in a foam flecked geyser. It tore loose the floorboards, widening the gap for waves to rush through. Chrom tried to pull her farther back, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the violence.
'Pretty sure the ocean isn't supposed to act like that.'
Regardless of what she thought, the waves crashed out. The tide wrenched boards, nails, and ropes loose in the torrent that flooded over the street. Chrom flinched from the rush, stared at it for a moment-
A moment was all he had, however. The wave slammed into them, knocking Robin clean off her feet. Only Chrom stood, pulling hard at her arm to keep her from getting carried off by the sudden current.
Worse happened to the pirates. The water crashed into them like a wave on the rocks. Except that rocks didn't drop weapons, nor try to run or get knocked over from the force.
All around them, more geysers punched up through the streets and floors.
"H-hang on!" Chrom shouted. The waters retreated back into the rents, pulling whatever they could with them. She glimpsed Vasto in the hold of the currents, the floor breaking beneath him. He couldn't even get a scream out before he swept underneath the docks and into the drowning embrace of the ocean.
She saw Chrom struggle against the current, but the planks had gone slippery underfoot. Robin was a sodden weight. Salt splashed against her lips, the rush of waves impossibly loud in her ears. Her fingers were hooks in his sleeve, while his free arm flashed out.
Robin followed the motion to see a strand of rope hanging overhead. It ran from an old boom mast that had been converted into a pillar. His hand snatched out for the line, tugging on it to test its strength. The ropes held, and Chrom coiled the line around his arm. With a lurch, their feet splashed free as they lifted up from the water. The boom swayed, trying to pull them clear. Robin threw her weight into the motion, giving them an extra push. They swung in a wide arc, out of the water, the motion only stopping when Chrom thudded into the side of a building.
He slammed hard into the wood planks, shoulder first. A spray of blood joined the sea spray, bright red in Robin's vision. Chrom had managed to spare her from the worst of the impact, but his arm wasn't so lucky. Nails jutted from the wall as odd, sharp decorations, leaving his arm riddled with gashes.
Chrom hissed in pain, his grip going slack for a moment. Robin hauled herself onto the roof, spinning around to help him over. Her shoulders burned from the effort of pulling him up, his weight oddly slack.
"You alright-?" Her words died when she saw his face. His eyes still glazed over, either from pain or from something feverish. He slumped into her grip, as Robin scanned his body, terrified she'd find something worse than a few cuts. But that was the limit of his wounds. A light coat of seawater diluted the threads of blood running along his arm. It made him slippery in her grip, and he murmured something she couldn't make out.
"Chrom!" She hissed in his ear, giving his shoulder a good shake.
"Wh-what? Robin-?" The haze cleared as he blinked his eyes. "Are we still in trouble?"
"Well… we managed to escape the pirates for the moment." Robin answered. She looked down to the streets of Wreckage. They'd been scoured clean by the geysers, free of debris and pirates. Robin glanced at the holes in the city, where the ocean spray shot up as the tides turned in a whirlpool. She tried not to shudder, with mixed results.
"And the Shepherd?" Chrom lifted his head. Robin followed his gaze to see a ship with new, albeit stained, sails slipping out into the harbor. Well clear of any ships that could pursue them.
"Safe." He finished, sagging with relief.
"Though we need to find an escape route for ourselves." Robin pointed out. They couldn't handle every pirate in this town… nor count on those geysers to appear again, by whatever fluke had called them. She scanned their surroundings, almost slipping off the edge of the roof when she saw the ocean underneath. The currents had lost their hungry edge, looking almost welcoming instead.
"On the plus side, I think I can see our way out... are you feeling up for a swim?"
Chrom paled a little at the suggestion, but still managed a nod.
"Something... something feels off with my head, but I can manage. You sure we're not going to drown, after what happened?"
"I…" she glanced at the waters. After what she'd seen, what she'd almost been dragged into, how could she be sure?
"Found them!"
Before Robin had a chance to answer, a shout rang out from the streets. She cringed, as a chorus of yells rose up all around them. They echoed off the side streets that had escaped the surge. And with those shouts, a rain of arrows fell from the sky and cracked the roof tiles.
-o-o-o-
The crack of arrows seemed oddly distant to him. Less urgent compared to what was waiting underneath, crashing against the supports of the shipwreck. A spray of foam reached for him.
'Hungry waters,' the words swam in his head.
Chrom hesitated. The waves looked ready to swallow him whole, even with Robin's swimming lessons. Could he really trust jumping in-
The hiss of an arrow solved that question for him.
"They've reached the roofs!" Robin cried out. Looking across, he saw bowmen. They lined up on an opposite building. Their feet braced against the gutters, so they could draw the strings to the fullest.
"Watch out!" Robin screamed. A rush of dark cloth filled his vision, Robin throwing herself in front of him-
And crying out, something flashing by her side. Another arrow slammed into the roof. The metal tip streaked with red and trailed threads of dark fabric. The scent of blood filled his senses, Robin bleeding a little more.
Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Robin. She grit her teeth and shifted her weight towards the edge of the roof.
'Nowhere else to go.'
Without thinking, he pressed her close. Robin grit her teeth as pressure settled over her wounds, and shifted her weight towards the edge of the roof. Another smack of arrows reminded Chrom that he was running out of options. Chrom made the last steps for them both, overbalancing so they tumbled into the waiting ocean.