Lucina's Emblem Ring was simple compared to the others Jack had seen in his time in Elyos. It was a simple golden band, with a light blue gem inlaid on its face; not gaudy in the slightest.

"You're studying the ring so intensely," Lucina said, appearing by Jack's side. "Is there something wrong with it?"

Jack shook his head. "No. Just… I never expected to be given an Emblem Ring, least of all yours."

The Princess Exalt was free to roam - a handful of Alear's army had returned to the Somniel for brief respite before heading out to Brodia Castle. Jack wasn't entirely worried about it; warping from the Somniel to wherever Alear had last been would only take minutes, and Alear was still traveling to Brodia Castle as Jack and Lucina spoke. Which was a good thing, because he wanted to get some training in.

Entering the Cafe Terrace, Lucina asked. "Least of all mine? Hmm. It almost sounds like you're disappointed."

"Not even remotely," Jack replied, "Out of all the stories that the other Emblems took part in, well, I guess yours was always my favorite."

Lucina raised a brow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. I mean, c'mon, you went back in time to save the world from a Fell Dragon. Marth killed the same dragon twice, Celica helped to destroy Duma, and Sigurd… well, he's Sigurd. He tried his best. But I can't think of anyone that did what you did, at least, not in the same way," Jack said, looking around the empty terrace.

Jack stood at the double doors on the right side of the cafe, taking a deep breath.

"I'm… flattered, I suppose," Lucina said, an awkward smile on her face. "I did not think anyone in Elyos would truly know of what transpired in Ylisse. Though it seems you have more than passing knowledge of Elyos itself, as well."

Shrugging, Jack replied, "That's… probably not going to last much longer. The fact we got your ring right then and there means Hortensia- you know what, it'd be better to not think about that."

Lucina chuckled. "Somehow, all of this seems vaguely familiar… Very well. I can only assume you want to spar with me, since you've been eyeing that door almost as much as you were eyeing my ring."

"I wasn't 'eyeing' your ring," Jack replied, "I was admiring it. It looks very nice."

"Oh, I see. That makes sense," Lucina said, smiling.

Jack snorted. "I don't remember you being quite so sarcastic. Is this a new thing you're trying or is it just because you feel like messing with me?"

"A little of both," Lucina said, "Now, allow me to warn you - I have been in that training room before, and it-"

"-it's a giant plain of water you can stand on, with rocks in the distance?" Jack finished, "Yeah, uh, that's the main reason I haven't gone in there yet."

"If you already know what to expect, then staying out here will not do you any good," Lucina said assertively. "Open the doors. I'll help you."

Jack nodded, placing a hand against the carved wooden door, while Lucina did the same on the other side. Slowly, he and Lucina pushed the door open. Whereupon Jack's mouth promptly fell agape.

Seeing the 'arena' in a game, where it was constrained by art style and graphics, was a completely different experience from seeing it in the flesh. Just as Jack remembered, it was a vast expanse of water, with green rocks jutting out in the distance, all of it under a hazy green light and watched over by twinkling stars.

Poking his head through the doorframe, Jack looked around, before backing up and looking at the door from the outside again. He turned to Lucina.

"I can't tell if this is the most terrifying thing I've ever seen, or the coolest."

"Perhaps you could decide if you actually entered?" Lucina suggested.

Jack waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Alright, Jack, hype yourself up…"

He moved forward, stepping onto the watery 'ground'. Just as he suspected, it was as if he was standing on a solid floor, with only the smallest of splashes with every step reminding him that he was walking on water.

"Some friends back home would freak out if they knew I was doing this," Jack said, laughing to himself. "If only I didn't leave my phone in my bag back home, I'd take a picture-!"

Jack whipped around to see the doors slam shut behind him, with Lucina floating there, rapier in hand.

"Well?" she asked, "you want to spare. Let me see what you can do."

Jack wiped his brow, taking in deep breaths as he looked up to see Lucina had barely taken any damage. Or rather, he couldn't see that she did. He had hit her with his spear a good number of times, but it didn't seem to really faze her - she let out no cries of pain, nor grunts of exertion. It was strange, but he felt like he learned a lot.

"Hmm," Lucina hummed, her rapier disappearing. "Not bad. You aren't particularly skillful, but you are strong, at least. We should continue this later."

Jack coughed into his fist, placing the butt of his spear down in the water. "Yeah. Don't wanna be too sore before Alear comes back to take us to Brodia Castle. I actually can't tell who's stronger, you or Goldmary."

"Goldmary is the soldier you fought that essentially allowed Alear to take me back, right?" Lucina asked, "I heard she broke your nose with her shield before going for a killing blow. She fights dirty."

"Yeah, thanks for rubbing it in," Jack mumbled.

"There is wisdom in it, especially in war time," Lucina said, "during pitched battles, there are no rules, no codes or laws of chivalry. There is only you, your weapon, and the person or creature on the end of that weapon. I fought without exploiting your weaknesses because I wanted to understand how well you can fight. Next time, I shall not take it so easy on you."

Jack let out a breath and nodded, looking down into the water and seeing his own reflection. Green eyes, blonde hair - which was longer than he usual, but not intolerable yet, alongside a growing beard that he only realized was itchy when he remembered it was there.

Standing up, Jack said, "Fair enough. I haven't exactly been honorable for all my battles so far, and I don't plan on starting to honor chivalry or whatever. I guess I just didn't get the chance to take Goldmary off guard, but I guess it worked out in the end. This time."

"This time. There will be others," Lucina said, before looking down. "I was in a position similar to you, a long time ago. Then again, you already knew that."

Jack laughed. "Yeah! We're kinda similar, you and I. 'Course, I don't have your hair, or the glowy bits - but what happened in Ylisse? Just matters how I got here compared to you."

"Gods, is it strange," Lucina said, "I wonder how they reacted to your 'visions' of the future. Was it anything like my father?"

Jack squinted as he thought. "Eh, yes and no? A lot of them try not to think about it, and I can't blame them. It's still hard to get my head around it, too. I don't even know how I got here."

"For what it's worth, I am glad you are here," Lucina said, placing a hand against her chest and bowing. "Perhaps this war will be over far more quickly with your assistance, let alone with the knowledge and changes you have already instigated. The amount of lives that might be saved… incredible."

"Hey now, don't you start too," Jack said, rubbing his forehead. "I'm just an idiot with a spear, who now has a magical ring on his finger. If I didn't have this foreknowledge, uh, well…"

"Queen Lumera owes her life to you, and I suppose, in a roundabout way, I owe you my freedom as well. Is it so wrong to accept praise for doing these things?" Lucina asked, tilting her head.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, I guess not. Uh, let's stop talking about that. There was one more thing I wanted to try before we head off to Brodia Castle."

Lucina floated silently, awaiting Jack's next words.

"Can we try to 'Engage' really quick?" Jack said, "So I know how to do it when the battle begins."

Lucina nodded. "Very well. Hold your arm up to your chest."

"Oh, just like that, huh? No need to be convinced or anything?" Jack asked.

"No. Why would I need to be convinced?" Lucina asked back, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Nevermind," Jack said, doing as Lucina said. "Alright. And?"

"Place your forefinger and thumb against the sides of the ring."

Jack closed his eyes, doing as he was told. "I think I'm getting it now."

"I am ready, so you must feel the power within you, right?" Lucina said, "Focus on it, and when you wish, let it out."

Jack nodded, before intoning, "Emblem, Engage."

It was as if he had suddenly grown wings and been hit with an updraft to end all updrafts. The small spark of power he felt before exploded, and every part of his body felt light and powerful. He was no longer on the ground, instead floating in the air like Lucina and the other Emblems did.

Jack opened his eyes and looked down, and openly smiled at what he saw: his armor had completely changed, resembling a white version of Lucina's attire. Wings made of spectral weapons and golden accents trailed behind him, moving with him as he tested how he moved while floating. Last of all, his hair had completely changed color, resembling Lucina's blue hair, if not a tone or two lighter.

"Now, this," Jack said, holding his hands up to his face, "this, I can get used to."

As if on instinct, Lucina's rapier materialized in his right hand. He'd never used a sword before; a spear was easier on the beginner's he had reasoned when given the choice, and even then, the grace needed to wield a rapier was just not something he was capable of. However, as he held Lucina's rapier in his hand, looking at the intricate patterns on the hilt and marveling at the exquisitely crafted blade, he felt as if he had used a sword all his life.

One quick poke forward was all he needed to know that, so long as he Engaged, he'd be able to sword fight with the best of them.

"Well," Jack said, "I'll get some real practice with this soon enough…"

Jack had rejoined the rest of the army after his brief jaunt into the training arena, and there was only a few more hours of travel until they reached Brodia Castle. He had to admit, Brodia was a spectacular country when it came to sheer scenic value. There were valleys and canyons they passed by on their winding way that would make the Grand Canyon seem like a cheap knock-off.

He also had to admit, he felt a bit more confident with an Emblem Ring on his finger.

"So, how did it feel?"

Jack looked over from his position to see Alfred just beside him, his blonde hair waving in the breeze as he wiped sweat from his brow.

"How did what feel? Having my nose broken?" Jack replied, "not great, honestly. I didn't really feel like fighting afterward."

Alfred snorted. "No, not that. Though I was curious about that, too, so thanks for telling me."

Jack flexed his right hand. "Then what could you possibly mean, Prince Alfred?"

"Someone's playing coy today, I see," Alfred noted with a smirk. "I'm not surprised the Divine One gave you an Emblem. If you're going to insist on being on the battlefield, you might as well add an extra layer of protection to someone with your knowledge, right?"

Jack shrugged. "We're coming up on the point where it won't be useful for much longer, so, maybe?"

Alfred's smile faded. "Ah, right. It's not like you're going to die when it runs out, right? Unless that's actually the case, which means-"

"No, I'm not going to die," Jack replied, deadpan. "At least, I don't think I will. Unless there's some magical spell tied to me that'll strike the second my foreknowledge is useless. But that sounds very stupid."

"I've seen stupider," Alfred stated. "Trust me, I've seen stupider."

"I trust you," Jack said, snorting. "I mean, sometimes reality is stranger than fiction, you know? If I wrote a book about what's happened to me so far, not a single soul in Elyos or my home country would believe it. But, here I am."

"From what you told me of that Emblem, you're both kind of similar, huh?" Alfred mused, "I mean, traveling across time, traveling across… whatever's between your world and ours, using your knowledge of the future to try and make things better? Not a lot of difference there."

"Trust me, I know," Jack said, looking down at the ring on his finger and smiling. "Maybe I'm not so bad, after all."

Alfred mockingly slapped himself. "Did I just hear that correctly? That sounded nothing like the Jack I've known for the past two months!"

"Shut your trap," Jack said, chuckling. "You know, I could just be an evil bastard, waiting for you all to let your guard down around me before I use your weaknesses against you. I could do that! I could do that."

"Hmm," Alfred hummed. "Nah. I don't think so. You're a big softie."

"I am not!" Jack protested.

"Are too."

"Whatever you say, stickman," Jack snorted.

Alfred sputtered. "What in blazes did you just call me? How dare you! I am a prince of Firene!"

"You're the prince of Jackass-land."

"And you are the prince of the illustrious Dastard Empire. You certainly look the part."

Jack turned to Alfred. "You can't just go around spouting off my secret identity in front of the army, Alfred. People'll start talking."

"Let them! I'll be dead and buried before I disrespect a royal of the Dastard Empire," Alfred said, swishing his cape in some sort of pseudo-bow. "It has been an honor meeting you, my liege, but we must keep moving. I will see you later."

Alfred moved on ahead, leaving Jack a chuckling mess.

When Jack first laid eyes on Brodia Castle, he was left gobsmacked by it. With the setting sun in the background, it was like a picture out of a painting - the same exact feeling he had looking at Firene and Lythos Castle, to be fair. Then again, Brodia Castle was more a brutalist painting, with the castle itself resembling a giant military fortress than an actual castle for royalty. It was angular; no decorative structures like buttresses or carved stone were present. It was like looking at an old computer, Jack thought, form and functionality over any amount of extravagant decor.

"I can see how the Elusians never get too far into Brodia," Alfred remarked. "This castle is a fortress, Prince Alcryst."

Alcryst nodded. "I don't think any siege has ever succeeded. Of course, I can count on one hand the amount of sieges that have actually happened."

"I was under the impression that Brodia invaded Elusia, not the other way around," Alear said, "Has that not always been the case?"

"A-ah, I made it seem that way, didn't I?" Alcryst muttered, hiding half his face behind his palm. "Of course I did. I'm sorry, Divine One. I'm hardly an able tour guide, let alone a prince…"

"Please, Prince Alcryst, you have done nothing wrong," Alear said, waving a hand with an awkward smile on his face. "I'd just like to know a bit more about Brodia, that's all. What I've heard while we were still in Firene paints a… brutal picture."

On the path carved into the mountain where they all stood, Jack leaned over the edge slightly and kicked a rock down into the abyss below. After that, he looked back at the three royals.

"I… can't say they're wrong, either," Alcryst admitted. "We haven't exactly been very friendly with either neighbor over the past few generations. Things improved with Firene when my father took the throne, but with Elusia - well, Brodia is a country of warriors, as father says. We need an enemy to fight, a cause to rally against, or we'll all just fade and rust away."

"I was about to ask if your people have tried farming," Jack said, turning back to the cliff edge, "but I don't think you'll be farming much in this environment."

Jack turned again to see Alcryst staring at him with thin lips, before he nodded. "The only places where we can grow food are on the few rivers in our country, along with what we trade with Firene and Solm. The only reason our country might even still be around is because of our abundant metals and minerals."

"Mining, then. That would be something, yes," Alear noted, placing a hand against his chin. "I won't judge your kingdom; it's not my place."

Alcryst shrugged. "Feel free to judge it, Divine One. As our deity, it is your place to do so."

"Uh, alright?" Alear replied, rubbing his scalp as he turned to Jack, as if silently asking for help.

"Brodia's not a nice place," Jack began, "but that doesn't mean things can't change, right? You or your brother must have something planned, Prince Alcryst."

"I'm sure Diamant has something in mind. He has a more leveled head than father, and a far more able leader than I am," Alcryst said, still frowning. "I really do hope things change. If my country hadn't been invading other countries for so long, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Sombron would have come back no matter what. Besides, I'm… glad, that things are the way they are right now," Alear said, a small smile on his face.

Alcryst's red eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, right. Your augur friend. If that's true, then maybe we'll all get out of this alright?"

"I think there's a pretty good chance that it will," Jack said, "I might be tempting fate here, but so far nothing's gone wrong- damnit, now something's gonna go wrong. I'm sorry, guys."

"Apology accepted," Alear said. "Is there anything we should know that you haven't already told us?"

Jack's smile turned into a frown at that. He turned to the castle, looking at it for a moment before looking Alcryst in the eye.

"If something doesn't change after this coming battle, King Morion will die."

Alcryst's already pale skin became paler still, as he started breathing shallowly. "I-I don't think I like these sorts of jokes…"

"There is no joke," Jack said, "King Morion will face King Hyacinth in battle. Hyacinth will stun him, drag him off to Elusia, and Sombron will devour him. I… I'm not gonna tell you what happens after that because, if all goes well, you won't have to know. I'm sorry for just out and saying it, Prince Alcryst, but you deserve to know the stakes. The coming battle with Princess Ivy will be difficult, but it pales in comparison to what will come."

"I…" Alcryst stammered out. Jack half-expected him to start breaking down then and there; he winced at how harsh he sounded, but it had to be said, because the gravity of the situation demanded it. "I understand."

Jack tilted his head.

"I will talk with Diamant, and we can convince father to not take the bait," Alcryst said, "Yes, I am sure of it. With your help, too, we can keep him alive. Nobody has to die."

Alear nodded. "We've had good luck with that so far. My mother is still alive, and Veyle is with us, so having someone like King Morion on our side would be a tremendous boon."

"It might cause some friction with Princess Ivy and Hortensia if they join us," Jack noted.

"I doubt King Morion would actually travel with us," Alear replied, "and if Princess Ivy and Princess Hortensia joined us in the world you saw, perhaps it will not be too difficult to convince them to join us here, despite the differences."

Jack nodded, crossing his arms. "I hope you're right, Alear."

He was at the end of the rope - Jack knew he was. It wouldn't be much longer after the battle that his foreknowledge would be useless. He guaranteed that when Veyle was purged of her evil half. Hopefully, when all was said and done, and he finally went home, he wouldn't be worse for wear.

Brodia Castle was somehow even more intimidating up close. As Alear's army marched up toward the gate, and the sun began its long descent behind the mountaintops, the sharp shadows and contours of the castle made it seem like a fortress of darkness - like Sauron himself had come down and claimed it as a forward outpost.

Armored knights, towering human towers of metal, stood along the battlements, looking over them and having their javelins at the ready, until a shout echoed from behind the massive walls and they relaxed. The massive portcullis into the main courtyard of the castle opened, the chains making a deafening noise even as they were finished pulling the structure up.

"Home sweet home…" Jack muttered to himself.

He had been standing beside Lapis at the time, and the fair-haired petite woman looked at him with a small, disapproving scowl. Jack held up his hands in surrender as they all entered the courtyard.

It was so similar to the game that Jack recognized it immediately. Two separate ramparts led up to a massive contraption - a ballista, with two others on either side of the massive courtyard. With the sky turning red, it almost felt like they were all about to start a battle against the people in the castle, rather than defend it.

"Welcome, Divine One," a voice said, near the first ramparts as someone jumped down from them, their armor clanking with each step. "Ah, Alcryst! I knew you'd get them here safely."

"I… didn't really do much. The Divine One is a capable warrior, Diamant. All I'd really do is get in the way…"

Jack took a step back, eyes narrowing as he tried to look through the crowd of people and at the person he knew to be Diamant. He saw flashes of dark red hair and red armor, but not much else, and after the first words he heard him say, he heard nothing else.

Instead of moving forward, Jack let whatever scene was happening play out. He could hear individual words, but not much else. Instead, his mind wandered to the coming battle.

Brodia Castle was a fortress, Jack had seen as much before he even entered it. That said, in the game, Ivy had charged in directly, with troops right behind her. The question was, how did her troops get in? Perhaps the fliers could get past the walls, but there were no doubt archers and ballista all around the castle. Ivy was supposedly skilled enough to dodge them outright, but what about the others?

Jack was shaken from his thoughts as he was literally shaken - someone had grabbed his shoulder and gave him a small shrug. He turned to see Lapis looking up at him, pointing forward.

"The Divine One is calling for you," she said.

Jack blinked, and looked forward to see a clearing straight forward toward the head of Alear's army. The others in Alear's army went about their business - preparing for the siege ahead, if Jack had to guess, leaving only him, staring gormlessly at the group of people in front of him.

It was his first real look at Diamant. He was probably the tallest of the royals that Jack had seen thus far, towering over his brother and Alear, and with his red and burgundy plate armor, he looked less the part of a royal and more like a royal guard. Alcryst, standing beside him, looked tiny by comparison, and Alear only stood out by being dressed far more extravagantly. Alfred looked outright normal in comparison.

Jack swallowed audibly before moving forward, standing before the royals a few seconds later.

"Your name is Jack, right?" Diamant asked, "According to the Divine One, introductions on my end may not be necessary, but I shall give it all the same. I am Crown Prince Diamant of Brodia. A pleasure to meet you."

"Er, the pleasure's all mine, Prince Diamant," Jack said, bowing his head slightly before turning to Alear with a withering glare. "I guess we're just gonna start talking about my circumstances with anyone, huh?"

Alear shrugged. "I thought it'd be a good way to get through this coming battle as quickly as possible. Diamant, you said your father was on his way, right?"

"He should be," Diamant replied, crossing his arms. "I sent a messenger for him with instructions to retrieve the Emblem Ring and bring it here to save us time, but, knowing father, he might've just ordered the messenger away instead."

"If all else fails, I suppose I could go get the Emblem Ring," Alcryst said, "especially if the battle is to begin soon. I probably wouldn't be much help. Unless you need me, Diamant."

"Of course I do, you're a monster with that bow, Alcryst," Diamant said, chuckling. "Anyway, if father isn't here before long, I'll-"

"What's that? You wanna finish that sentence, Diamant?"

The loud, boisterous voice came from further up the ramparts, and Jack looked to see a mountain of a man begin descending down the steps, flanked on either side by equally large, armor-clad knights. In looks, King Morion most resembled an older Diamant, though Alcryst wasn't without resemblance, either. Gray armor with an accented golden trim and red cape, complete with a crown on his head, King Morion looked the part of a Conqueror-King. And that wasn't even taking into account the massive broadsword at his hip.

Diamant snorted. "I was just saying I was going to have the servants drag you out of your quarters by your legs if you were busy with that new shipment of 'spices' from Solm, father. It looks like I have nothing to worry about."

"Hrmph," Morion snorted back, and Jack was reminded of two bulls about to charge each other. "Sometimes it's hard to remember who's the prince and who's the king around here. Oh, Alcryst, my boy! Diamant, why didn't you tell me he was home!?"

"I-it really wasn't worth bringing to your attention, father, I-"

"Nonsense! By the Divine Dragon, why didn't anyone tell me? Is my castle filled with blind and deaf people? Please, tell me they are at least standing next to each other to cover for what they don't have," Morion continued, "Now, who is this? Oh, the Divine Dragon. And the Crown Prince of Firene! Finally, I was getting bored of waiting around for you all. Ah, and who is this?"

"Jack," Jack said, his voice small as he looked up at Morion.

"Jack, huh? Just Jack? Do you have a family name?" Morion asked.

"Aldrin," Jack continued. "Jack Aldrin, at your service."

"Hmm," Morion hummed, looking between Alear, Alfred, and Diamant and Alcryst. "So, I'm assuming this is the man who has knowledge of the future? Knowledge of my death, even?"

Diamant's expression became grim. "It would seem so, father."

Morion's expression mirrored Diamant's for a second, and he looked the part of a brooding conqueror, weighing his options.

And then he laughed.

"So, that old dastard Hyacinth gets me in the end, huh?" he laughed, slapping his knee. "Sometimes I forget that old man can punch with the best of them! Not even age can stop that. That is, if it is him who kills me. Tell me, boy, was it him who killed me? Or was it one of his brats?"

Jack was completely and utterly flabbergasted, as what he said next came out of his mouth without thinking.

"You are captured by him, but it's Sombron who kills you. He devours you in order to temporarily restore his power," Jack said, before closing his mouth with an audible 'clump'.

"It wasn't pretty," he added further.

"I imagine! From the old stories, the Fell Dragon isn't very kind to his prisoners. And if it's royal blood he's after - well, who am to deny him? He's a royal dragon, right? A god? I wonder if I force fed him his own blood if that would grant him his powers back. It might actually be a fair fight, then!" Morion said, ending his tirade with a chuckle.

"Father, I'd really appreciate it if you took this seriously," Diamant pleaded, "If what he says is true, then not only will Brodia lose its king, but Sombron will have access to his power, even if only temporarily. Which country is closest to the one where he's staying?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't remember Sombron launching any attacks on Brodia. Besides the Emblem Ring, I don't think you have anything he wants. Besides your father's body and soul, obviously."

"Is now really the time for dry wit?" Alear asked.

Jack's lips thinned. "Y-yeah, sorry. I don't know when to shut up sometimes."

Morion waved a hand. "Eh, don't worry about it, boy. Sometimes, a little bit of humor is enough to get you through the worst days."

"Father, if you are to die, then I ask that you leave that battle to me," Alcryst said, bowing at the waist. "Both you and Diamant are far too important to Brodia to risk being killed by Elusian forces. I-I don't think I'd be able to handle it…"

"Much as it's not my place to say, King Morion," Alfred began, entering the conversation. "There's much more at stake than just Brodia and Elusia. If Sombron succeeds in the coming battles, then all of Elyos is at risk. We may have the upper hand because of Jack, but if something goes wrong-"

"Alright, alright! Sheesh," Morion stated, running a hand through his hair. "Leave it to my own kids to try and guilt me into sitting a battle out."

"I hate to be the one to rush this along, but we're running out of time," Jack said, looking back toward Brodia Castle's walls. "I don't know when Elusia's gonna besiege the castle, but they aren't gonna wait around for weeks - they'll be here before we know it."

"Jack's right," Alear said, "I realize I haven't properly introduced myself, King Morion, but as you said, I'm… the Divine Dragon. And humbly request the Emblem Ring my mother gave to you all those years ago."

King Morion waved a hand. "No need to get all formal with me, Divine One. Not right now. Way I see it, we'll be quick brothers-in-arms. Anyway, you said you wanted Brodia's Emblem Ring? Luckily for you, I went ahead and grabbed it on my way out of the castle. Here, catch."

Jack turned to see a glittering ring sail through the air, only for Alear to almost fail catching it. Letting out a sigh of relief, Alear held the ring close to his chest.

"Thank you, King Morion," Alear said, "Now, to activate it…"

"Rise up, Emblem of Binding!"

The same pulse of power Jack had felt with the other Emblem Rings spread from Alear, as a red-headed man materialized from thin air, holding a large sword, ornate sword that looked as if it could cleave a mountain in twain. With blue armor and a cape that oddly resembled Lucina's - or, considering who came first, Lucina's resembled his - Jack couldn't help but smile slightly at seeing Roy in the spectral flesh.

"I am Emblem Roy, heir of Pherae. Ah, it feels good to be able to move my arms again!" Roy said, as his sword, the Binding Blade, disappeared, and he stretched his arms. "It is also good to meet you again as well, Alear. If you're here and were able to summon me - ah, I understand."

Alear nodded. "Sombron has returned. After we are done here, we will probably try to head towards Solm to look for the other rings, too, before traveling north towards Elusia."

Jack did a double take before running a hand down his face and looking away. His eyes narrowed as he saw a little black-and-white figure running towards them.

Diamant spoke next. "So, the old stories were true. There really was a power to these rings."

"Not so much 'legend' anymore. It's a little embarrassing when you say it like that…" Roy said, and Jack could imagine the Pheraen rubbing the back of his neck.

"I think we're outta time," Jack said, as Veyle came to a stop just in front of the group. "Lemme guess, wyverns."

Veyle nodded emphatically. "Yes! Pegasi and griffons, too!"

Jack turned around. "Guess Roy's gonna get a chance to stretch his legs as well-"

"A wyvern's cutting through our line!" a soldier on the battlements shouted. "Magic! They have magic!"

"The battle's beginning," Alear said, nodding grimly. "Jack, I assume that's Princess Ivy they're talking about?"

"Yeah. She probably has Leif's Emblem Ring," Jack answered, "She's supposed to lose it after this battle, but anything's possible."

"So, King Hyacinth's older brat," King Morion grunted, his arms crossed. "Good. I wanna see what she's made of."

"Absolutely not," Diamant said, his brows furrowed. "We've already heard what could happen to you, and I'm not taking any chances. Please, father, wait for us in the keep. Let us handle this."

Morion snorted. "Fine! Fine. If it happened before, might as well happen again, huh? Don't have too much fun without me, kids."

King Morion marched off to the keep, his knights following suit. Jack kept his eyes on the skies, though he heard the flapping of bat-like wings before he saw any wyverns, pegasi, or griffon's sailing through the sky.

"Diamant, will you join with Emblem Roy?" Alear asked. "He has been with your family for generations, and I'm sure there are few others worthy of him."

"I… would be honored, Divine One," Diamant stated. "If only we had more time to speak, Roy. I've always been curious about that ring we stored inside of its own hall in the castle."

"There'll be plenty of time later," Roy said, "For now, let me help you win this battle."

A wyvern, darkened against the background of the orange sky, surged forward. A ballista bolt shot forward, but the wyvern dodged it so quickly, it was a wonder that such a thing was even useful. The wyvern slammed into the ground, stone splintering as its clawed feet broke the stone beneath it. It lifted its head up and let out a roar that felt as if they would pop Jack eardrums.

Jack's heart jackhammered in his chest as he raised his spear.

A woman landed on her feet just beside the wyvern, her hand trailing against its hide as she stood before them. Long purple hair flowed behind her just as surely as her cape did, with a large fascinator atop her head, and her long flowing dress, she looked the part of an elegant, beautiful queen, let alone a princess.

In her hand, she held a tome, and sparkling on her other hand was an Emblem Ring. Jack could just barely make out her purple eyes underneath her fascinator.

"I am here to reclaim the Emblem Ring stolen from my sister, and to retrieve the ones you have for my father," Ivy said, "Stand down now, surrender them, and we will be gone from this place as quickly as we have arrived."

"Fuck's sake…" Jack hissed under his breath.

And another Chapter out in record time. Makes me wonder why I ever bothered with a weekly schedule lol.

Anyway, Ivy's here now. Hooray! Jack better fucking run.

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See you guys next time!