Chapter 28: Hungry Waves
She dreamed of the ocean, and being locked underwater. Constantly staring towards the surface, but being unable to reach it. In her dreams, Robin stared up at a ship, outlined against a graying sky. The shape of her hull and trim of her sails told Robin she was watching the Shepherd from afar. She reached her hands towards it, trying to reach it-
The webbing between her fingers turned violet, catching the dying sunbeams. Robin felt her breath shudder, coming out in gasps through the rents in her neck, right as she felt the loss of her legs. They melted down into a long tail, which felt like an anchor around her body; dragging her into the depths, and further from the Shepherd.
'This is wrong!' Robin's thoughts blared through the dreamlike haze. She squirmed from each push her tail gave, one limb moving where there should have been two. She wanted to tear all her violet scales away, until she found normal, human flesh. But her hands refused to move. Her entire body felt like it was on strings, bound and commanded by the will of another.
She flinched as a hand clapped over her shoulders, long aristocratic nails digging into her; the scales on that hand were night-black, and she could feel rage seething through the grip.
"Drown them all." Ordered the voice of her old king. Her own voice sang out in response, calling on the clouds above and sculpting the storms into a weapon. Overhead the Shepherd cracked like an egg, forms spilling out of the broken timbers and blackening the water with their limp shapes. Blood clouded around them.
"As Grima wills it. They all drown." The king continued, satisfied. Robin wanted to weep from the sight, but instead salt water flooded her eyes and stole any tears.
Something filled her hands, and she looed down to see her fingers clutched around someone's neck. Chrom stared back at her, going still as his breath left in a final, wane stream of bubbles. His eyes glazed over-
"NO!" Grief slammed into Robin… And yanked her out of the dream. She found herself shuddering, tangled in the bedsheets. Her legs twitched and kicked, reminding Robin she was still human.
'A dream. Only a dream.' She told herself, but it didn't still the tremors.
"…Robin?" Lissa's voice came through the door. "You okay in there?"
"Y-yes!" She blurted out; maybe if she said that enough, she'd forget that nightmare and focus on the present.
"Okay, good. Virion found the sea cathedral through his spyglass; that means we're getting close to Ylisstol. We should be back, before nightfall." Which meant she needed to be up, and at her best.
"Understood. I-I'll be out in a moment." Robin swung her legs out, ordering them to hold her weight instead of folding or going clumsy. She was human; she was going to remain that way. Robin told herself that, as she reached out for her clothing-
Her arm reached across a stray bit of light from one of the windows. Violet scales caught the sunlight, and gleamed up at her. The same ones in her dream, now clinging to her skin like flecks of glittering sand. Robin scratched at them, but they stayed anchored to her skin.
Her hands shook as she pulled her robe on; the sleeves barely hid her scales.
'Stay human.' She pleaded her body. Her fingers explored her face, and found that her cheeks were intact and unmarred by scales. She'd just need to hide the rest. And pray they reached Ylisse, and Emmeryn, before things got any worse.
-o-o-o-
As the sun dipped westward, fog began to roll in and press a chill into Chrom's skin. He allowed himself a quick shudder, but didn't move from his spot on the prow. The red skies turned the waters crimson and black, looking unnervingly like both were tinged with blood.
Ylisstol's castle stood proud above them, rising out of the sea mist. Unmarred by any fresh spell attacks, and even the scars from the Mer's strikes were being repaired. Chrom breathed a little easier at the sight. He leaned against the sail lines, determined to keep his eyes on the capital, lest it dissolve into smoke and fog if he looked away. He pressed himself forward, like that could will the Shepherd forward and faster.
Only Robin's hand on his shoulder kept him from tilting off the side of the Shepherd. His eyes flickered to her hand, and the sleeve of her robe.
'The same as those Risen wore…' But he didn't have any room to dwell on that, compared to the immediate situation.
"Well, it looks like the castle didn't collapse while we were gone." Robin told him.
"Which I'm grateful for. Not a mark against your ship, Chrom, but I could do with a room that doesn't constantly sway in the waves." Maribelle had poked her head up from below decks. Smudges showed on her face, from where she'd done repairs, and it was a mark on just how tired she was, that she didn't brush them away.
"Yeah… Which better mean we're all getting hot baths, mulled wine, and a complete banquet with desserts." Lissa added on, flopped onto the deck floor. "Pretty sure we've earned ALL of that."
"Later, Lissa. And the same for you Maribelle." Chrom tried to placate them. "But for now… We made it." He sighed out in relief. The capital was still intact, the docks filled with ships… But there was also a fleet taking up the harbor, and setting out at full sail. He easily recognized the gold trim glimmering on one of the lead ships.
"Emm?" And he thought he could glimpse a figure in white on that boat, staring firmly ahead and guiding her fleet. Her silvery fabric was a contrast against the armored figures patrolling up and down the ships; Pegasus riders in light plate, Feroxi warriors in heavy mail and scale. He even saw the red and white armor of Flavia, as the leader managed the ship wheel.
"That… That is NOT a good thing." Lissa whispered, picking herself up. "What is she doing, taking her ship out-?"
A blast of wind made Lissa shield her face and shiver against the sudden chill. With it came a strange growl in his ears, almost like a dark muttering of old words.
'Spell song.' He realized, and yanked his head up. Chrom looked into the wind and saw a flurry of clouds skidding along the horizon, sucking the fog up to feed a growing, dark mass. The clouds boiled up against the line of the ocean, and seemed to speed towards Ylisstol… And they were carrying something else with them. A mess of masts sprouted from the waves. Emmeryn had sails out to meet the mystery fleet; the mist was too thick, and the setting sun too bright to pick out concrete details.
But whatever they were, Emm was intent on taking her ship out to meet them.
"What's she doing?" Lissa pressed.
"Shepherds! Get some sail out! We've arrived in time, and Emmeryn needs our support!" Chrom answered her question with orders.
The Shepherd groaned in protest, every creak of the ropes betraying how tired the ship and crew was. But still it gave chase, following in the wake of Emm's fleet.
Chrom ran to the wheel of the ship, ready to take it from Frederick. Robin and Lissa both followed him, moving a little more sluggishly. As he moved, he risked a glance back to the approaching ships. His heart dropped into his stomach, when he saw that they didn't fly Feroxi flags. Instead crimson and black were cuts against a bruised sky.
-o-o-o-
Black and red sails, echoing storms and blood. They weren't the most welcoming sight. Nonetheless, Emmeryn kept herself fixed near the wheel, using her presence to keep their course steady. Flavia grumbled as she took in the numbers, but kept a tight grip on the wheel. Together, they sent the ship sliding forward, and waiting for the lead ship to draw close.
The Plegians didn't keep her waiting. The prow cut through wine red waves, courtesy of the sun setting behind the fleet. The wane, dying beams of sunlight caught glints on the crown of the captain. The ship drew in close enough to be called out to, before furling its sails.
Gangrel looked at her with suspicion, but held his hand up to stall any attacks. His other rested on the jagged blade at his side, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.
'A pirate, acting as a king.'
She had to wonder what that made her; her own garb didn't feel all that serene or embodying a regal ruler. Not with how her robes fluttered around her, almost nervous in the growing storm winds. Emmeryn drew a breath to steady herself, keeping her gaze locked with Gangrel.
"Well, that's more of a welcome than I expected from Ylisse. You needn't have rushed out however. I would have made my way to your harbor eventually." Gangrel leered at her, sizing her up like a piece of meat about to be carved up. A black clad witch prowled at his side, regarding her with an amused smirk. Emmeryn reminded herself that she had a fleet of Ferox ships at her back… And prayed that she wouldn't need to use them.
"Gangrel, I've come to offer parley with you. Neither of us can afford to fight during times such as these. Our strength would be better served focusing on the arcane storms…" She glanced up, to the wall of cloud building around them. Ready to swallow the sun. "And when we can find the Fire Emblem, all will benefit from its protection-"
"Stop acting the fool." Gangrel cut her off, his words a slap to the face. "Unless you really believe that drivel… In which case I almost pity you."
"I-I beg your pardon-?"
"You'd have been better served in listening to your brother. He's much like me; won't settle for anything less than complete victory. And you can't offer me a sweet enough prize that I couldn't take from you anyway." With the grin he gave, Gangrel clearly relished the idea.
"Gangrel, this fleet you have-" It would be better served to protecting the borders, or fighting whatever wraith ships showed up in Plegian waters. But Gangrel clearly didn't see it that way, as he waved off her concerns.
"Oh, we needn't worry so much about the storms." The sea witch said. "We have our own ways of managing tempests, and Risen ships. I'm surprised your proud nation struggles against such things. Makes me wonder why you've been such a thorn in our side, when you can't even master or control the storms."
"C-Control?" Flavia snapped out. "What are you blabbering about?"
"Just that you're both woefully behind the times." The sea witch was savoring this, chuckling when Flavia almost splintered the ship wheel in frustration. "And here we thought the Exalt knew what she was doing, when she tried to slow our ships."
"You mean… Before, when I asked the waves-?" Emmeryn tried to ask.
Gangrel motioned for the witch to be silent.
"Regardless; my fleet is ready for the challenge. Since we needn't worry about ghost ships, I'm hoping a battle is something you can provide instead." Gangrel finished for her. Emmeryn stared at him, confused. "Yes, you specifically. Don't act as though your hands are lily white, your graceliness."
Gangrel sneered at the title.
"I admit I doubted the reports at first. Ylisse's precious Exalt daring to do her own dirty work… But now that I've heard your voice again, there's no mistake. I heard you in Valm, singing up some spells of your own." He smirked at her, and the black witch at his side favored Emmeryn with a thin smile. "How many soldiers did you injure in that fortress, Exalt? Or send to their deaths? How many ships did you turn into coffins? Or are you comfortable being ignorant, and saying it was all for the sake of your family?"
"It was…" Emmeryn tried to say, scrambling for a moment of resolve. "I won't deny what I did. But it was for the sakes of those I love. What about you? What do you care for, and motivates you?"
Gangrel wasn't swayed by her questions.
"At the moment, painting the sea a richer red with your blood. Nothing would give me more pleasure." Gangrel signaled his crew, and the sails rolled back down, throwing the ship forward.
"Should've known he wouldn't see reason. Well, Exalt? What now?" Flavia growled.
"E-evade, first. The rest of our ships need to catch up." Emmeryn whispered, still shaken by Gangrel's hate.
She had to stand firm against him, Emmeryn knew. She tried to brace herself… But instead something watery seeped into her head and balance. Something that matched the pull of the tides and tried to pull a harmony out of her head.
And tried to pull her towards the ocean.
"Gangrel, this won't end well for you." Emmeryn tried to warn him. Though just then, she was worried it wouldn't end all that well for her either.
-o-o-o-
The pirates closed with Ylisse and Ferox, fire spells roaring to life and sending up clouds of smoke when they hit the sails and masts. The black mingled with the boiling clouds, drowning the sunlight. The pirate fleet was swarming out now, trying to enfold the Ylissean ships in a noose.
'We're late. Too late.' Despite the heat of the battle, Robin's skin was ice. The Ylissean ships struggled in the waves, skidding backwards from the attacks and growing winds. In the face of the Plegians, they looked so fragile.
Chrom didn't look much better; he clung to the wheel, and was desperately keeping his eyes on Emmeryn's ship. The Ylissean flagship was one of the few vessels that remained dancing in the battle, moving with the pirate fleet instead of clashing against them.
"Robin…" Chrom said, watching the ships. "I… I have to ask this of you-"
Frustration tinged his words, making it a struggle for him to speak. Robin risked holding a hand up to stall him, the wind making the sleeve of her robe flap. A flash of violet greeted her eyes, but Chrom kept his eyes fixed forward. No one else had the chance to notice, either; the Shepherd was a swarm of activity, trying to find the right breeze.
She caught a glimpse of the mages trying to weave up a spell… But they were too drained. It was a struggle for Miriel to do more than stand, and Ricken had already lost his feet and sprawled across the deck. Lissa and Maribelle were to wane to do anything but stare.
"Y-You need to stop Emm from doing something reckless. And to do that, we need to reach her ship through some tide readings." She finished Chrom's thought for him, tugging her sleeve back up. A hint of violet showed at her hand, and the scales seemed to almost pulse in eagerness.
"…I can manage it." Ahead of them, the Plegian fleet was forming into a wall; a line of tall mast ships were arraying themselves between the Shepherd and Emmeryn. The Shepherd wouldn't have a chance of fighting their way through, so they had to find another way.
'We're not ending up at the bottom of the sea. Not on my watch.' Robin told herself.
She braced against the bench and focused on the waves. Her legs went weak as the strength and will to stand drained out of them… But in its place, the waves seemed to shift before her. Robin watched the waters, seeing the start of a path. It cut between a gap in the Plegian ships, where the pirates had left space to kill ships in the crossfire.
'A risky path… But we're not going to linger there. Or give them a chance to lob any spells at us.' Her head was buzzing, an odd whistling filling her ears as the winds started to pick up.
"Get all the sails loose. We'll want to ride what comes next." Chrom bellowed her order out, and the sails all dropped down. They looked ragged; a shadow of what they should have been. Robin prayed they would hold for a little longer.
"Hold onto something-" She barely had time to raise her voice, before the sails snapped out in the shifting winds. She heard the fraying of fabric and the groan of ship timber… But the Shepherd held on, riding the squall, and picking up a swell of wave from underneath them.
Their ship fared better than many of the others. As they shot forward, the pirate vessels faltered, almost getting capsized from the force of the force of the waves. She heard screams, orders to stow the sails lest the winds finish the job of wrenching the ships over. The boats all floundered in the swell.
Leaving them room to shoot through the gap, all without a spell being fired at them. They were so close, Robin could see the blur of faces, all staring at the Shepherd in disbelief.
"Robin, that's-!" Chrom tightened his grip on the wheel, one hand half reaching out to urge her on. "That's incredible! Just a little more, and we'll be able to reach Emm!"
He was right. They'd weaved through the line and were in the thick of the fighting now. The Feroxi ships were holding the most steady, their hulls standing against the spell fire, and returning arrows and javelins. The Feroxi fleet also did the job of keeping the Plegians busy, and giving the smaller Ylissean fleet chances to dart about and peck at the ships with fire.
'Just a little more.' Robin pulled herself from the battles, and to the center of the conflict; where all the battles had curved and orbited around.
Emmeryn's flagship was straight ahead of them, as was Gangrel's lead ship. Around them the sea was growing choppy, fighting against Plegian, Ylisse, and Feroxi ships both.
'I can almost…' Robin kept her hand stretched out. Her fingers twitched from a stab of pain. Her flesh didn't approve of her trying to control the waves, and staying human in the process. Her fingers curled into hooks as she tried to call up more tides, a burning growing between the joints as the skin started to grow raw.
But they needed one last push, to bring their own ship in line with Emm's and get her to the safety of Ylisstol-
A hand closed around hers, palm pressed to the back of her hand and obscuring any hint of scales. Fingers threaded between hers, turning into a grip that squeezed her hand. The touch banished the pain, in favor of warmth and pressure from the grip.
She managed a glance over to Chrom, trailing off when he tightened his grip. She swore she felt SOMETHING get pushed from his palm and into her blood. He was lending will and power to her, when she couldn't cast on her own.
The ships drew closer, and Robin narrowed her eyes. Gangrel's mages were readying a dark volley of magic. They couldn't let it land… And in another breath, she felt a surge of power that seemed to travel from her heart, through the ship, and into the sea.
The last wave stirred beneath them and carried the Shepherd, crashing it into Gangrel's ship with a slam of splintering wood. Only bracing against Chrom and the wheel kept Robin upright. The Plegian ship lost its spells and lurched drunkenly from the blow, wind snagging its sails and yanking it away from the Shepherd and Emmeryn. Their own ship screamed and splintered, part of the prow caving from the impact… But they still managed to float.
She could make out the Exalt. Emmeryn stared at the waves, and a hand came up to her head to rub at it. For a moment Robin wondered if Emmeryn had the same ringing in her ears as she did-
"EMM!" Chrom shouted out to her. He dropped his hand from hers and swung the ship around, bringing them closer to her vessel. "Quick, we've bought you some time to get to safe harbor!"
And yet, Emmeryn still hesitated. Chrom left the wheel and rushed to the edge of the ship, putting one foot on the gunwale and gripping the cross ropes for balance as he stretched a hand out.
"Leave the ship if it's too badly damaged; we can take you back! We have all the lighthouses activated," his voice grew more desperate with each word. "We know about the Emblem too; we can find it together!"
Emmeryn tried to cut him off, holding her hand to silence him-
And in another moment, Robin understood why. Gangrel's ship cut towards them. On the prow was the sea witch, Aversa. Odds were, Chrom's voice easily carried to her.
Even from this distance, she saw the snarl on Gangrel's face, promising retaliation. His hands gripped a jagged sword, looking almost sculpted from lightning. Then he lifted it aloft with a furious howl.
A single, harsh note built in her head, making her limbs freeze. Chrom might have heard the same thing, from how his back went rigid.
The skies split with a snarl of lightning, as if in answer to Gangrel's call. The winds turned into a savage howl, yanking rain from the sky.
And yet somehow above all of that, she could hear Aversa's voice. "You did a fine job of it, you know. Weakening the veil enough to allow anyone with a drop of Mer blood to work such things."
A flash of teeth showed through her lips.
"Those lighthouses are amazing things, aren't they? Storing so much magic, and then answering to the will of those touched by the ocean. Such as me. And now, Gangrel."
'The magic works both ways.' Robin realized with a lurch. 'Getting more control doesn't mean we're the only ones who can use it.'
She turned to Chrom, needing to shout that discovery to him-
Instead she found herself charging forward, as another claw of lightning split the sky. She threw herself hard into Chrom, knocking him away from the sail and the lines. They crashed together onto the deck as lightning sizzled down, tearing into the sails of the Shepherd and splitting the masts in half with a blinding jolt. The torn wood snapped like a set of old, worn bones, falling with a splintering of timber. Robin curled against Chrom, trying to shield him from the shards and falling timber.
"O-oh gods-!" Chrom's breath left him in a gasp and a sob when he took in the damage. Robin felt her own heart sink when she looked up; they were completely crippled, all their masts down. Even the hull of the ship seemed broken, with how they sagged dead in the water.
The storm raged around them, let loose by Gangrel's call. And the Shepherd had no strength to fight the waves. Robin and Chrom weakly climbed to their feet, picking out the stunned forms of the crew littering the decks.
"Well… Don't you make for a lovely sight, nice and crippled in the waters… but I think MORE would improve this situation!" Gangrel threw back his head, cackling as the winds howled around him. Robin glimpsed others in the Ylissean and Feroxi fleet fighting against the storm's fury…. And losing, the ships flung out of control and tossed into the waves. They crashed into each other, even crackling against some of the pirate fleet. Gangrel's own forces weren't spared in the rush of power.
Even Emmeryn's flagship ran out of luck, breaking against the harbor rocks with a vicious splintering. Flavia crashed to her knees, the wheel spinning out of control. Phila cracked her head against the wheel spokes, going limp. Emmeryn herself couldn't keep her feet, falling to her knees.
Both fleets became a tangle of smashed hulls, and a forest of shattered masts. And through the chaos, the note wouldn't stop burrowing into her ears. The sea was trembling from it as well, getting shaped by the song. Robin's eyes darted about, and saw Aversa raising her head up to the sky.
'She's ordering the storm-'
Robin didn't have time to finish the thought. The sea was rising up against them now, turning into a wall of water.
The wave broke across the ships, and crashed down on the prow of the Shepherd. The water slammed into Robin, sweeping her towards the ship's edge. She was yanked and dragged across the deck, relentlessly pulled towards the sea. Her heart jumped into her throat, and she scrabbled uselessly at the deck; her fingers were going slick, her palms burning from a fresh blossoming of scales.
'If I go over, there's no going back.' She knew that; either she'd drown or change. Already the salt spray was trying to twist her body. Through the spray she could see the wave overtaking Chrom as well, as he tried to throw up his arms against the deluge. There was a shriek on the next boat, Phila screaming Emmeryn's name, and Robin knew the wave had swept over the Exalt as well.
The air smashed out of her lungs, the ship's railing smacking into her ribs and stopping her tumble short. The water still rushed past her, tearing scratches across her face. The force of the wave relentlessly pushed into her, trying to tip her past the railing. Through her stinging eyes, she could see the ocean beneath roiling, reaching for her-
Chrom's hand snapped around her arm, stopping the motion short. His feet smacked into the bannisters, and he braced himself against the waves and pitching motion of the ships. His fingers hooked deeper into the fabric of her sleeve, acting as an anchor against the storm.
"H-hang on-!" He managed to spit out of the words. "Just a moment longer-!"
She felt a change in the air and a chilling her skin, as the spell spent itself. The wave finally subsided, and Robin fell limp against Chrom's shoulder. Her vision swam, and her hand went up to touch the pinpricks digging into her cheeks. Her fingers brushed against something glossy with a diamond hard edge, and she swore in the corners of her eyes she saw glimmers of violet.
'Mer scales-' Her heart sank at that, and then froze completely at the strangled sound Chrom gave. She winced, certain he'd seen her face… But instead, he was looking past her.
Robin followed his gaze, to the deck of Gangrel's ship. The wave splashed over it, with a far gentler push than what had savaged the other ships. But when it receded out to sea, it was clear that the wave had washed something up.
Emmeryn's robes were sodden, sticking to her skin as she struggled against the deck. She looked utterly small as she brushed against Gangrel, before collapsing again.
Their own ship groaned, completely broken. It could barely stay afloat as the waves raged around them. That left their own crew with nothing to do, but watch Emmeryn struggle at Gangrel's feet.
-o-o-o-
This couldn't be happening. He waited for his eyes to clear, for the world to start making sense again. Instead the storm churned, and Emmeryn stayed struggling on Gangrel's ship. A chill sunk into him, past the ice of the waves and the winds.
His hand fell away from Robin, already knowing it would be useless to reach out for Emm. She was beyond his grasp, swept away while he'd been busy trying to save one person… And in helping Robin, it had cost him his sister.
Even with the shudder moving through him, Chrom forced himself forward, one step at a time to the edge of the ship. Already he was bracing himself, to fling himself over.
'I'll swim to save her, if I have to-'
"Oh, I think not, prince." Gangrel's witch spoke. "You may be Tide Touched, but you're still not swift enough to reach us without Gangrel opening her throat. It didn't work before… And it won't work now."
'Damn her… She's right.' He took in the waves again, realizing how ruthless they were; more than a few sailors had plunged into the waters, and were getting drowned by the crash of torrents.
"You know, your sisters have a way of finding themselves at my feet." Gangrel said in that insufferable superior voice. While he spoke, he raised his hand to order the remainder of his fleet. The pirates were fighting back to their feet from the impact of the storm, ready to bring their ships around. The noose was going tight around the Shepherd… And Chrom couldn't see a way out of it.
It felt wrong to see those tattered sails, and the mast itself split in half and toppled over; it was like he was looking at the stumps of his own limbs.
"A sad sight, when it comes to ships. But that also means you're outmaneuvered, prince." The woman continued, smirking at him. His face burned from that smug look, and his teeth squeaked together where they clenched. "I'd suggest you still for a moment, and listen to our terms instead."
"Wh-what do you want!?" He gritted out.
"You said you finally had the clues to the Fire Emblem now? Well, I simply want those. It shouldn't be much; just a few paltry words in exchange for your sister's head. I may even not have my men carve you up, with how generous I'm feeling." Gangrel answered him, flashing his teeth in a predatory grin.
Emmeryn coughed up saltwater, struggling to her hands and knees. She gathered enough air into her lungs to shout out.
"Don't listen to him!" The Emblem is more important-" Gangrel slammed his sword down, next to her face. Cutting off the last of her words, as Emmeryn flinched from the violent motion.
"You know, I'm losing what patience and generosity I had." At his words the pirates drew in closer. Their ships still caught the wind, the crews still able to stand and fight, compared to his own broken, exhausted soldiers. They wouldn't stand a chance against the enemy, ragged as his crew was.
'You pushed them and your luck too far.'
"Now tell me where this Emblem is, and maybe I won't gut your sister." Gangrel twisted his wrist, the blade reflecting strands of lightning… And drawing closer to Emmeryn's throat.
"I…" Chrom stepped forward, even while his voice tightened. He thought of the clues, the visions the light houses had spun, how they pointed to the castle itself. Gangrel's dark robes would be a smear on the pristine stone…
…But he was ready to suffer that.
'It's for Emm's sake. We need her, more than we need some lost treasure-'
Emmeryn looked up, stared across the roiling sea and met Chrom's gaze. Even through the pouring rain, he could still see her face; see how pale it had gone. She realized what he intended to do. Regret colored her eyes, as she looked at him.
"E-Emm-?" He stammered.
She mouthed out one word to him.
'Sorry.' Dread gripped him by the throat. Followed by a strangled noise when Emmeryn moved.
Her hands flashed up to the blade at her throat. She sliced her palms along the edges, drawing ribbons of red over the blade. Rain mingled with those scarlet strands, splashing blood down onto the deck and over the ship edge. Into the saltwater waiting below.
Before Gangrel knew what she was doing, before he even realized how she'd willingly mangled her own hands, Emmeryn shot her arms out. Her bloody palms faced the Shepherd, pushing towards it.
As though thrown by her motion, a wave flew up, grabbing the Shepherd and Ylissean ships, and throwing them back towards the harbor. The current that seized the Shepherd was relentless, pushing them further out and free of the skirmish.
All too late Chrom realized what she was doing. He tried to throw himself off the edge of the ship anyway, do anything he could to reach her-
Robin stopped him short, where he would have thrown himself into the waves. His arm shook in her grip, but he couldn't pull free from her… Or from Lissa, when she took his other arm.
"LET ME GO, PLEASE!" He begged, the words turning into sobs. Robin could only cling fast to him in response. Nearby Phila gave a ragged cry, powerless to do anything as her own ship was lifted and hurled from the rocks. Emmeryn still keeping her hands thrown out and her concentration entirely on them. On pushing them to safety.
She didn't break sight with him. Not even when Gangrel stared down at her, and delivered a vicious backhand across her face when he realized what she'd done. It sent her sprawling against the ship's side, but she still picked herself halfway up. Emmeryn leaned against the gunwales, fighting to keep her head up. She kept staring at Chrom. Trying to impart… Something, even as the waves carried them away, and the storm worsened.
The last thing Chrom saw was Gangrel looming over Emmeryn with murder in his eyes. Then he ran her through with the blade, the jagged point bursting through her back and staining her robes red. When he wrenched the sword out, she toppled over the ship, sinking into the ocean with barely a splash and a roil of bubbles.
Chrom screamed, a long wordless howl. The skies matched his grief, pouring rain and the wind crying in an echo of Naga's own voice.