Chapter One
A Messenger from the Sky
It would be sometime later as the group relaxed, letting Lissa tend to their wounds. Chrom was right, Lissa was a talented healer with that staff of Her's. Lissa explained that healing magic isn't really all that magical, it's not "wham bam perfectly healthy again" in her words. She described it as an advanced form of natural regeneration like how the body can regrow lost skin. Usually there's days long soreness after the healing and in some worse cases a person despite being healed, can still be bed ridden as the regenerated flesh is still weak and tender. there's the possibility the once healed wound may reopen. She went further into depth of the healing arts, but Atris passed out during it. As bad as he felt it had been a long day and he needed some rest.
Sadly, his rest was hardly the respite he sought as he was plagued by visions. No, not visions, it was more like raw emotions of something. Gods how could he even describe it? He was cold, his blood had become ice as fear paralyzed him. An alien weight pressed down on his chest forcing the air out of him. He wanted to claw himself out of the darkness, he wanted to scream and yet nothing would come. He couldn't even cry, he just wanted a respite, he just wanted this to end.
He felt himself shaken from his perturbed slumber. He gasped for breath, forcing the air to rush into him and coughing violently. A firm and strong hand patted his back, "It's alright, Atris just try to calm down." Chrom tried his best to quell the amnesiac. After a time, Atris regained his senses and the horrific emotions left soon after. "You looked like you were having a nightmare, guess I was right. Are you okay?" He simply nodded to his friend, who crossed their arms in response. "Alright, I trust you to know yourself."
"You'd not be the only one to trust the man," a familiar voice called out to them joyfully. It was the man Atris had saved earlier, his chest and head was bandaged, he was also wearing different clothes, but it was certainly him. "Glad to see you found your friends, even gladder that they're Shepherds! My name is Mathias, my Lords and Lady. I'm not the mayor here exactly, but I've got pull. Once things have been brought under control, I'd like to offer you refuge here, hold a feast in your honor if such be to your liking."
"A most generous offer, sir, but we must make our way back to the capital with much haste." Frederick responded with nothing less than pure professionalism. Lissa on the other hand was listing the different ways she'd prefer her food. Atris never took her for a picky eater, and her bubbly energy made the demands less entitled sounding and oddly enough, charming in a childish way. That said the energy died down soon after she realized what Frederick had said.
"Wait! W-what!? Frederick it'll be dark soon! Can't we just stay here and get some decent food at least?" Lissa groaned having gone through at least three stages of grief in response to the man.
"We shall be getting decent food milady, food borne from the bountiful lands of Ylisse. Game and berries abound in the south. Then when we are to set for camp, we'll make ourselves comfortable from twigs and other forms of natural bedding. I do believe you said in your own words you would, 'be getting used to this'," the knight remarked with nothing but the sincerest of smiles and courtesy. Utterly defeated by her own earlier words Lissa groaned and muttered something in complete dejection. "Besides as per yours and milord's request we've a Shepherd to induct. Best we get to the capital soon as possible and make things official."
"As much as I'd like to side with you Lissa, Frederick has a point. We need to induct Atris formally, and besides that, the attack on this town must be reported. Damn Plegians," Chrom remarked a bitterness in his voice. Atris wondered about the relations of these Plegians to Chrom. The man seemed in any other respect a kind, and humorous person. Soon enough he found himself frowning as he became lost in thought and was only shaken out of it when Chrom called to him and saw the others had already been making their way to leave town.
He went to run after them when he felt a hand pull his arm and turned to see it was Mathias, a pouch in his hands. "Wait, before you go you should have this. It's some extra gold I've come by from my latest caravan run to the north."
"I appreciate the gesture, Mathias, but surely you'll need it more than I will given the company I'm in."
"Company or not, you've given me something that no person can put a price on. I can live to see my children grow up just a little longer. Besides, one good turn deserves another. Consider it a reward, a gift, or a kindness returned. It doesn't matter, but either way you're taking this pouch, son." Mathias was adamant on this, and truth be told he didn't think he could find a way to turn down the man without becoming hostile.
So, Atris reluctantly took the pouch frowning. He felt the older man drape their arm around his neck. "Look, you're a good lad at heart, but don't worry so much on others when they share their kindness with you. I'm not so prideful I'd let my children go hungry. Besides we look after our own in this town, which includes you as of right now. So, suck it up and get marching before your friends leave you behind." Atris noted some affection in that last bit of gruffness and shook Mathias's hand. Turning on his heel he ran off towards his soon to be fellow Shepherds and called back a thanks to the man.
Atris trailed behind in the group as they left Southtown. He walked alongside Frederick who had once again dismounted his horse in favor of walking it. He thought that perhaps Frederick's reasoning for this was to conserve his steed's energy for when it was time to be mounted. It could've also been an odd quirk. Gods know his fellow travelers had shown a few of their own by now. He watched Chrom talk to Lissa listening to them engaged in simple conversation, Lissa doing most of the talking. Normally Atris would've been beside the two, as he felt a stronger connection with them than Frederick, but he figured it would be better to give them some time together. That said it was a lonely silence between him and the knight until it was finally broken with a quiet sigh.
"I'm sorry for my earlier rudeness, Atris. Regardless of how implausible it seemed you did not deserve the bile I flung at you," Frederick whispered to him, not out of shame, but it seemed he didn't want to break the conservation between Lissa and Chrom.
"While in truth your words still bother me, Sir Frederick, I accept your apology. It's best if given I'm to be a Shepherd we all try to get on the right foot."
"I'll grant you that's mature stance you take, and a reasonable one too. That said as much as I wish to trust you implicitly, I must remain wary of you for a time. My station demands I look out for milord and milady's welfare. Perhaps... in time I will have that trust for you, but unfortunately not today."
"I understand, I must admit my own story is... disconcerting. Besides, if it's true you've been guarding Chrom and Lissa since they were rather young, in a way they must be like family to you."
"Hmm, not exactly. It's hard to describe, but they are near and dear to me. I just would not go as far as to claim familial ties, even if they be imagined. It's simply not what a man of my station can think," Frederick spoke softly. Atris had expected to feel perhaps a type of longing from Frederick, but he felt none, and he truly believed that Frederick spoke sincerely on the matter. Atris considered the thought somewhat sad though, it'd be hard to imagine himself in such a position and not form such a bond with his own charges.
He noticed the knight's focus had shifted with a furrowed brow back onto the road ahead. Frederick suddenly increased his pace striding ahead of Chrom and Lissa. Atris watched him carefully and- did he just pick up a pebble? A knight with a rock collection, perhaps he'd ask about it sometime, give him and Frederick something to bond over. He saw Chrom staring back at him and waved over to stand beside them.
"Been lost in your thoughts? I know Frederick doesn't make for good conversation." Chrom smiled as he jogged up to meet their pace. Lissa mumbled something still upset with their bodyguard over vetoing their stay in Southtown.
"He's trying at the very least, he apologized for his words earlier. So, it's some kind of start. Chrom, Lissa would you mind answering a couple of questions for me?"
"That's one right there!"
"Hush, you know what I meant Lissa." He eyed the blonde girl grinning at him and caught Chrom smirking. He feigned a sigh of exasperation much to the former's delight.
"Go on Atris don't let my sister's teasing stop you. The sooner we get you caught up on things the better." That was an odd choice of words, did Chrom truly believe in his amnesiac state? A question for another time as Atris shook his head.
"You mentioned something about Plegians before, are they some sort of bandit organization or...?"
"No... the Plegians are our westerly neighbors. Relations with them are... well I'm not going to lie to you Atris they are almost non-existent. They've been sending bands of raiders into the border to provoke Ylisse into conflict. You may have noticed that one bandit with the rather well-made axe? If I had to guess, he was part of the Plegian army. One of many who just happen to find themselves in raider gangs and bandit outfits." Chrom's voice quivered as he tried to mask his anger.
"That's why the Shepherds are here though. We defend the flocks of Ylisse from those that would harm them." Lissa said, looking at her brother with a warm smile and gripped his hand to calm him. Atris was relieved to see Chrom take a deep breath and relax with a small nod to his sister.
"So, the Shepherds are part of Ylisse's military then?"
"No, not officially anyway. While Frederick is a member with one of the knighthoods of Ylisse his being a Shepherd has nothing to do with that. For instance, Lissa is very much just an average person who happens to be part of our little group.
"Average?" Lissa remarked it being more of a statement than a question.
"C-Chrom simply means average as in you're just like me or him, but he'd never suggest or imply your talent with the healing arts is anything but extraordinary!" Atris blurted out hoping to cover for Chrom's poor choice of words. Lissa peaked around Chrom to look at him, with a most curious look on her face. The young woman had taken a liking to him before, especially considering he saved her life, there was something clearly different here. Had he stumbled onto some sort of weird game the siblings played and ruined it?
"Well, looks like we'll finally have someone who might be able to talk to a proper lady amongst the Shepherds. Clumsy as that was you could learn a thing or two from him, Chrom," Lissa smiled, sticking her tongue out playfully at Atris. He felt his shoulders slacken and saw Chrom mercifully thanking him with their eyes.
"But, um back to the original point. The Shepherds are basically an Ylissian volunteer militia, correct?"
"Well... we wouldn't turn down anyone not of Ylissian origin. I mean your name is foreign, can't quite place it, but you also don't bear any physical traits common to Ylisse." Chrom stated simply and nonchalantly. Atris nodded and for the time didn't bother anymore questions of import. This still had only been the first day he had in living memory, he'd worry if he kept going at this rate, he'd turn his brain into mush with everything he was trying to come to terms with.
Silence wasn't something that came easily to the three, it wasn't long before another conversation sprung up from them. Anything from simple chatter as he became better acquainted with the siblings, to an odd teasing game that culminated in a childish shoving match between Chrom and Atris. A fierce and rather lethal glare from Frederick ended the fun to both of their disappointment though. There had also been attempts to jog his memory, but all it got the amnesiac was a headache from overthinking things. Still, he couldn't argue that it passed the time and made their journey less tedious.
Night rapidly approached the skies consumed with the rays of the dying sun. Atris looked on at the vibrant oranges and reds that had been scattered through the sky, their beautiful and striking colors leeched onto the ground, it was the first sunset he had ever seen. Were there words to even do justice to the phenomena, he couldn't think of any true ways to capture it. He could only hope his memory would do the sight justice this time and remember it.
He thought about how many little things he might rediscover, things he had taken for granted when he still had memory. In a way it was exciting, how many people could truly look at the world with fresh new eyes? He placed his fingers against his temple and tapped it thinking on what else could the world be hiding from him. He smiled at the thought of being an optimistic amnesiac. Perhaps he'd buy a journal to try and capture the wonder of seeing the world for a second time.
Despite his best efforts he became lost within the depths of his mind. Unfortunately, he had been too distracted to notice the group moving into a thick forest blocking off the glowing embers of what little sunlight remained. It wasn't until Frederick called for their latest location to be the choice for camp that he snapped out of his trance. Much to his disappointment he looked around to find no remains of the sunset, only an ever-encroaching darkness that unnerved him. Gods let him not be afraid of the dark. He didn't know why but given all he went through today such a notion seemed silly.
"Lissa, clear the site, Frederick gather logs for the fire, Atris you're coming with me to do a bit of foraging and hunting." Chrom spoke with an air of authority that he hadn't heard before and truth be told almost made him stand at attention. Chrom was definitely an odd man, he figured he was nobility given Frederick wouldn't refer to him as any other title but, "milord", but that didn't exactly match up with him leading a militia group. "Atris, snap out of it. Naga help me when you discover one of the many libraries in Ylisstol."
"Libraries!?"
The blue-haired man couldn't help but give out a brief laugh. "Come along none of us have had anything to eat since breakfast, and who knows when you've last ate." Chrom gave his shoulder a shove causing the amnesiac to stagger a bit, no doubt Chrom was still harboring a bit of competitiveness from earlier. The two set off into the woods, Chrom telling him what berries to be on the lookout for and which to ignore either due to ripeness or the berry being poisonous. Despite their foraging they found little in the way of edible berries or mushrooms, and with it getting darker Atris was finally feeling the pangs of his hunger now.
"Chrom out of curiosity... do you believe my situation? You know... about my loss of memories. You've said a few things that've made me wonder about your thoughts on the matter." Atris questioned his friend. Despite his recent bout of optimism over the incident, there was still a lingering insecurity of being believed on the matter. But, as of right now he was mostly looking to distract himself from his growing hunger, his stomach making no such effort as it had growled for the third time.
"For what it's worth I do believe you. I tend to follow my heart a bit more than my brain on these matters, but you've done a few things that have strengthened my belief that you're telling the truth."
"Such as?"
"Well soon after we discovered I noticed you looking at your clothes, it wasn't as if you were checking your pockets for anything, but more of you taking in what you were wearing. It was somewhat like watching a person get their sense of direction. Then there was where you rushed into Southtown, if you were truly trying to pull one over on us, why would you blow your cover and reveal your talents?" Chrom stated plainly. He had to admit the man's logic was sound, but he felt a blush creep on him from the praise he received from his companion.
"Here's hoping I have more surprises then; I'd hate to have revealed everything so soon. Got to keep some air of mystery about myself."
"Ha! As if the memory loss isn't enough for our 'mystery man'." Try as they might not to indulge in how asinine their back and forth was, they couldn't. Loud snickering bounced between them as they stopped to share a flask of water between the two during their brief respite. As they walked Chrom started going on about how he wished it was wine he had, but something had distracted Atris. He felt eyes on him, and he didn't like it. Whatever was stalking the two was behind them, and it was about to attack.
All it took was a twitch and a hitch of his breath to alert Chrom to something being wrong. The two rolled out of the way as a massive claw slammed into the ground, a bear near the size of a carriage, its fangs slick with a viscous drool. The two of them drew their weapons of choice, Atris his tome, Chrom his sword. The bear bounded for the swordsman seeing them as the bigger threat, he might just have to prove it wrong.
A crack of power vibrated through the air striking the bear's hindquarters staggering it and giving Chrom the chance to dodge out of the way. The swordsman went for a slash but couldn't get close enough, another deadly swipe of the beast's claws coming far too close for comfort. Growling, Atris concentrated the power he had to his palm. He had no idea what he was even doing, he was only going on his instincts. He hadn't even opened the damn book to read it. Atris fired once more, striking the bear, when he noticed a sudden influx flowing through him. The spell was somehow already charged again. He didn't even hesitate and every single time the spell was ready to fire he did just that. It turned to him, its skin and fur burned and snapping like wood on a fire. He definitely had its attention now.
Leaping out of the way of the maddened beast he felt his stomach get clipped by the claws. Whatever he did before sapped him of his ability to power his spells. Unsheathing his sword, the bear readied to lunge when Chrom pierced its side and followed through with a mighty slash. Jumping backward to evade the slash Chrom counter charged the bear, and Atris soon followed just as before they worked in tandem perfectly in sync with each other. It wasn't as if they could read each other's mind, more that they elevated each other and knew what to expect from that.
The two whirling around slashing at it, the beast becoming bathed in red. It was then that Chrom leapt and latched onto the bear's back, unused to this weight and sensing its intended prey the savage animal reared on its legs. Atris darted in running his blade along the stomach of the animal red rushing forth as the bear became distracted with this new pain. With opportunity at hand, Chrom seized it and plunged his sword into the neck of the beast and twisted the blade with all his might. An audible crack was heard as the bear finally fell; its head half decapitated. The blue-haired man rolled off the dead animal and thrust his blade into the ground as he gripped his knees panting. A brief silence fell on them before he spoke up.
"So... you kill bears with swords often? This a fine Ylissian tradition or we did we just establish one?" Atris asked, falling to his rear exhausted from the fight.
"Quiet, you ass. Gods this was a terrible thing to do on an empty stomach," Despite themselves they couldn't help but grin at what they just did. Who in their mind takes a sword to a bear fight? "Well looks like bear is on the menu for tonight, here help me cut some of the meat out of this thing."
They soon set to work harvesting what meat they could from the bear as quickly as they could. Chrom wished they had time to skin the thing and take the fur back with them. Despite the blade marks the skin was large enough to salvage and surely there was something they could've done with it. However, waste not want not was not exactly something they had time for. With their meaty prize in hand, the two returned back to the camp content they'd get something in their bellies tonight.
Atris ripped into the bear meat with even more savagery than its provider. In truth he had been staring at the searing meat on the fire and came close to drooling several times waiting for it to be finally done. He was pretty sure Lissa taunted him several times for his devotion and impatience for the meal to be done. It kept him still while she got to work healing him at least. The tables would be turned eventually though, while he enjoyed his bountiful helping of bear, Lissa could only look on and grimace as she stared at the two hunters.
"Just... why? Why couldn't you two just spear something normal people eat? I mean who actually enjoys eating bear!? Atris there's no way you're actually enjoying that thing as much as you make it out. Geez I'm sorry for teasing you already!" Lissa flailed as she looked at the gamey meat before her.
"Honestly, Lissa this is the first thing I have ANY memory of eating, even if it didn't taste good, I'd have nothing to compare it to. That said this is absolutely AMAZING. Oh, and there were no spears involved so..." The amnesiac trailed off before tearing into the meat again
"Milord did you and Atris honestly hunt a bear with swords," Frederick sighed and covered his face with his hand as if so many illusions of Chrom's character were being shattered, or perhaps this was simply the straw he could not bear given the hijinks of the rest of the day.
"Well... we didn't actively go hunting bear with swords. It just happened Frederick." Chrom muttered into his own portion embarrassed. It was a shame, they had both been enjoying their meal, albeit Atris at this moment did not care. Until he started choking that was. He started letting out gagging noises before a swift smack to the back from Chrom freed his airway as he coughed and took a breath of air and sighed. In most circumstances he might've been embarrassed at the situation, but he was full and had such a delicious meal.
"Thanks for that, Chrom."
"You're welcome, Atris." Chrom staring at the face of the grease ladened man who had just devoured several helpings of bear and near choked trying to get a fourth. He couldn't help it, Chrom fell back in laughter most likely at how ridiculous the entire scenario was.
"So, guess your stomach beat out your taste buds after all, Lissa."
Hush, Atris." Lissa pouted at his teasing as she ate her portion of meat and side-eyed Frederick." Besides if there's someone you should worry about eating it's good old Frederick here, he hasn't touched any of his bear. Quite curious why given how much effort we've taken to living off the fruits of the land Frederick." Lissa grinned with that mischevious twinkle in her eye, despite the girls far smaller stature especially compared to Frederick, he was quite clearly the prey in this scenario.
"I er, simply had a large lunch today. Yes, that's it quite the lunch."
"Pfft, if you say so Frederick."
Despite the joyful banter and even getting Frederick in on it for a time, night had come, and slowly weariness took hold of them. Atris was happy to discover despite a direct hit from that mage his coat was just fine, the same couldn't be said of his shirt, but priorities were in order and first among them was his coat. Removing it, he bundled it into a small pillow-like object and let the warmth of the fire and darkness of night take him.
Despite the comfort his coat-pillow provided him with, he once again found no rest in his dreams, sleeping for perhaps thirty minute intervals before being jolted awake. It was as if someone was giving him a swift kick whenever he drifted off. Uttering a quiet groan, he got up after the third time he woke to see the others sleeping. At least he thought so until he saw Lissa constantly shifting about. Walking to her and trying his best to be quiet, he kneeled.
"Lissa... are you awake?" He whispered softly to her as he watched her eyes open and she nodded, sighing.
"Sorry if my rustling is disturbing you, Atris. Normally we at least have bed rolls. I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew with this roughing it in the nature stuff." She half whispered and half mumbled. Atris thought about it for a moment and frowned as he really didn't want to do this. He felt an attachment to the old coat, perhaps even jealously at the thought of anyone else even using it. But he liked Lissa well enough, and damn it he was an adult, or at least he thought he was one anyway. He softly told her he would be back and went to fetch his coat coming back with nary a sound made.
"Here you can use this as a pillow to give yourself some extra support. Hopefully it'll make sleeping easier."
"A-Atris I... I don't-"
"Don't argue with me, I... really don't want to give this coat up even for a little bit. As childish as it sounds it... it makes me feel better. Urgh, it's hard to explain just take it already." Lissa looked at him and took the coat-pillow from him and laid it below where her head would be. She frowned looking at him, were her eyes watering? Surely it was a trick from the firelight. Suddenly she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in.
"Thanks Atris... I'm really glad we found you." He thought how odd it was, this embrace felt strangely more personal, but he couldn't understand why. Even when he saved her life, she didn't act this... emotional? He returned her hug and softly patted her back. As awful as it made him feel, he had to eventually break the grip she had on him, he wished her a soft goodnight and tried to prop his tome as a pillow. He did find some rest though and slowly he drifted off into a dreamless slumber.
Atris began to stir slowly, rising up and fighting off his drowsiness and trying to force his eyes open. He bent his neck cracking it and he groaned from the crick he felt in it. Tomes don't make even tolerable pillows he noted to himself as he looked to the sky. Still no light, except what was coming from the fire. He stood up stretching and trying to get the blood flowing when he saw Chrom nor Lissa were anywhere to be found, Frederick still slumbered where he was. Amazing how he managed to maintain that stern rock face of his even when he slept.
Belting his sword to his waist and scooping up his tome, he went to put on his coat he had left for Lissa. He murmured to no one in particular that if she wanted it back, she could just wake him up and ask for it. He set off for some distance from the camp, the truth was he simply needed to relieve himself. Perhaps that's what the other two had set off- gods and everything holy now that was stuck in his head. Grimacing at that mental image and finally relieved, he redid his belt when he noticed a figure moving in the darkness.
"Hello, Chrom, Lissa is that you?" Atris called out and placed a hand on his tome and focusing on his palm cast a light from it which illuminated the darkness. He continued to call out, only ever seeing movement out of the corner of his eye. Frustrated he stopped following. He had noticed the forest had gone quiet and had been for a bit now. A drop of fear mixed in with the anger, but he suppressed that letting the latter win out.
"I'm not playing these damned games of yours! I tried to be helpful!" Atris shouted out, turning on his heels he had planned to go straight back to camp when he finally glimpsed the thing. He couldn't tell if it was a man, or a woman, or even human for that matter. The figure was covered in a veil of shadow in which the light in his hand could not pierce, only highlighting what could be considered a silhouette. He took a step back he felt his heart begin to race as his breathing hastened. There was a deep primal fear stirring in him, as if every single fiber of his being was screaming at him to run, fight, anything but just stand there. He couldn't, he simply couldn't do anything as The Silhouette raised its arm and a snap like a bone being broken could be heard, an intense pressure began to fill his head afterwards. This was pain he hadn't felt since... felt since.
"It's... not... your fault...leave" A dying voice carried through the wind, it was Chrom's voice, what was happening? He felt as if his eyes were going to pop out of his skull from the pressure. He fell to his knee and the hand that illuminated the area shot to his head and was extinguished, he screamed out in pain as darkness overtook his surroundings. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the fear that gripped him, it made him nauseous, desperately fighting the urge to throw up.
Struggling he forced himself to look back at The Silhouette as it still stood in place arm raised. Staggering back to both feet he reeled and nearly fell backwards fighting the pain in his head, trying to suppress the fear that slowly gave way to a paralyzing hopelessness. The screams of innumerable people began to fill his head, he heard their terror, their horror... and the things being done that incited those screams. The voices deafened him as the macabre choir crescendoed and reached their climax.
It was then the earth violently ripped apart, and soon Atris felt himself seized off his feet and clinging to the side of a horse, his stupor slowly fading as he looked at the figure before him, Frederick. The knight was broken out in a sweat, the rare sight of fear in his eyes as he looked down at him. It was almost surreal, as if it had all been another terrible dream. Yes, that was exactly what it had to be, another terrible dream.
"Get on the horse proper, Atris! We need to find milord and milady!" Frederick barked at him and finally Atris freed fully from what he had encountered before saddled himself behind Frederick and wiped the sweat from his brow. Gazing back, he could no longer see any evidence of The Silhouette. Instead, he was greeted with the sight of the earth savaging itself a liquid hellfire being birthed from the violence. All that lay behind them was smoke, fire and eventually ash. He hoped whatever monster dwelled within this forest succumbed to this.
Despite their speed, Frederick's horse galloping into a full sprint, the fire that had been left behind caught up to them and embraced the forest in its entirety. Atris took in his surroundings looking for anything that might aid him and Frederick in their search. Through the smoke he saw it, what seemed to be a clearing and perhaps the remnants of some old fort. It was at least a place to seek shelter. Shouting for Frederick's attention he pointed in the direction of the clearing, and the knight willing his horse towards their new destination with the hopes their friends would be there.
Smashing through the burning foliage, Atris noted the bravery of Frederick's steed was on par with its owner. Not many animals would jump into fire simply at the behest of their master. Covering his eyes from the stinging smoke and trying to sneak in the occasional breath lest that damnable smoke sap him like it did back in Southtown. Once cleared of the foliage they both saw it, three figures fighting off... something. Whatever they were they did not move like people, occasionally they showed some sign of greater dexterity, but it was almost like they were controlled by strings like a marionette.
He recognized Chrom and Lissa, the two of them closest. Chrom was locked in combat and seemed to be struggling with Lissa behind him trying to cheer him on. Chrom had no issues strength wise with the bandit leader back in Southtown, and that man was taller and far bulkier than either of them. It didn't matter, not right now the horse still galloping full speed, Atris charged up his spell and soon with a bellow flung it forth smashing into the chest of Chrom's opponent. Despite the surprise advantage Chrom didn't hesitate and swiftly cut down his foe before looking back to see reinforcements on the way. Waving to them he dashed after the third figure. It was hard to tell, but they were rather lithe in form and dressed in all blue. There was something odd about the person, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.
"You guys made it! Thank Naga! These... things whatever they are refuse to just stay down," Lissa yelled to them as Frederick and his steed came to a stop allowing Atris to dismount.
"Things? These aren't people then?"
"N-no, they're more... they're more like walking corpses than anything else. Chrom tried to cut one in half, but it just shrugged off the blow like it was nothing!" Lissa looked to where her brother was, seeing that he and the stranger dealt with the aberration they had been fighting with. Putting his fingers to his temple and drumming it, gods be damned amnesiac or not walking corpses aren't a natural occurrence. Looking up he saw that Chrom and the new person who joined up with them. While Frederick was busy checking our Lissa and Chrom near interrogating them for any injuries now that the situation had calmed, Atris turned to the newcomer.
They were much like Chrom dressed almost entirely in a dark royal blue. They were wearing the same ornate vest that Chrom wore, albeit accented in gold instead of white, a black tunic underneath it although it appeared to be of a rougher make than the vest. A cape fluttered behind them, the inner being a crimson red, the most notable thing about the person was the butterfly shaped mask they adorned on their face.
Atris had barely opened his mouth to speak to their newfound ally, when a pain shot up his body, one arrow and then another had pierced his shoulder. Realizing the danger had not yet passed, everyone took up positions ready for another fight. Scanning the area, he noticed a host of creatures coming to them. Given what had happened between him and that thing before Frederick rescued him, the arrows were a reprieve.
"Everyone to one of the forts! These things don't appear to fight smart, but they got us outnumbered. We need to negate their numbers and force them to fight on even terms. Go, now!" Atris commanded the group as he felt relief to see them listening to him. He didn't think he exactly had a battlefield presence, but apparently, he did.
Regrouping into the fort he took notice that it was largely in ruins, it provided four walls and a vantage point, but little else of value. Truth be told he was surprised the structure still stood after all this time. He wagered it had been constructed ten, perhaps fifteen some odd years ago. Despite Lissa's insistence to the contrary, he climbed to the lone vantage point and began counting. Twenty or so of these creatures shambled from the fire engulfed tree line. He noticed a rather large one amongst them wielding a cruel looking hooked sword. He cursed himself as his carelessness robbed them of getting a good shot at the creatures from this vantage point.
Atris backtracked from the vantage point knowing the creatures would be on them soon, too soon and without any form of ranged attack. He soon found himself dragged down by his bad shoulder by Lissa who was nearly yelling at him to stay put so she could try and close his wound. Painfully prying out the arrowheads, she soon set to work trying her best to close and heal his injury quickly. This seemed like a last stand situation, he was screaming in his head to think when suddenly he heard what sounded like yelling off in the distance.
A woman donning a red breastplate as vibrant as her short hair riding a horse. He couldn't make out what she was her yelling about. A man trailed behind her dressed in rather formal attire a fetching longbow slung around his shoulder and his hair an incredibly light shade of blue and styled in a very fussy sort of manner. From what little he could catch of their conversation the man seemed to professing his love to the horsewoman, albeit in an incredibly pompous manner. The kick he received from her was no doubt well-earned and had the situation been different, funny even.
"Sully, here!" Chrom called for her, the prince's words snapping him to his senses from the odd bit of theater that was on display before them. The red headed woman, Sully noticing the call of her commander rode to them, the odd flirtatious man following suit as she unsheathed a lance, and he unslung his bow. Two horses, an archer, Chrom, him, the stranger and Lissa. He was beginning to formulate a plan and couldn't help but grin to himself. He noticed Chrom staring at him with a grin of their own. "You look like you have a plan Atris, mind sharing with the rest of us."
"Damn right I've got one! Sir Frederick, and Sully, was it? You two are going to pair up and ride along the outskirts of the clearing running down and pulling away stragglers from the main host. I'd recommend using swords and axes, whichever you're most comfortable with. These things don't die easily, but chopping off a limb or two is just as good as killing them. Your main target should be any archers you encounter, keep moving though even if it's to take out an archer you can't get bogged down. Distracting and separating these things from the main host is just as important." Atris looked up to see the surprise on Sully's face at how this nobody took to ordering her around had the situation not been so dire this would've added to the little comedy show from before. She looked at Chrom and despite what Atris believed might've happened, it didn't. She simply nodded and with that the two knights were prepared to set off. "Archer-"
"It's actually-"
"No offense, but we'll learn names when we're not going to die. Right now, I need you on that vantage point there. Your job is to draw any enemy arrows your way, don't give me that look, you'll be fine with the cover up there. Once all the enemies' ranged support is gone just turn these things into pincushions." Staring into the archer's face he nodded and was off with a determined look he found odd considering his eccentric behavior around the female knight before.
"Lissa you'll stay behind in the fort, heal our archer if he gets hit, but you'll mostly be worried about us. We're going to hold the front entrance and bring them to us. With some luck and some skill, we'll get through this without any injuries, er... anymore injuries." He corrected himself as the blonde healer was glaring at him.
With the plan set forth the three were off to face down the host of the dead. Atris saw his plans were working already, the host that had come unified in numbers was slowly becoming more disorganized as Frederick and Sully split what could've been shamefully called their ranks. While his wound prevented him from long distance shots at the enemy, he still could throw a spell or two and flung several in the direction of the horde trying to keep some focus on the fort's defenders. Too close to reliably use his tome, Atris drew his sword forth and stood alongside Chrom and their strange ally.
Finally, it had come the first of the creatures assaulted them. Fighting these things was nothing like fighting humans there was no defensive or offensive nature to this kind of combat, they simply sought the death of whatever unfortunate soul stood before them. These things cared nothing for their own self-preservation and fighting them just didn't make sense in Atris' mind. He got lucky with a quick parry and launched a fierce counterattack which saw the creature's head cleaved down the middle. Chrom had just downed his second and was engaging with another, he saw the same frustrations written on his friend's face. But Chrom held strong and fast and smashed his foot into his challenger's body sending it back and deflecting a strike from a second opponent. Several arrows whistled through the air piercing into the skull of the would-be challenger. The blue-haired man lunged and plunged his blade into his downed opponent, three for Chrom now.
His gaze switched to the masked stranger who had slew three of the creatures so far, they fought like they were possessed, he found it almost enrapturing how they fought. But just as before he saw something wrong, their swings, the movements of their chest. This person looked like he did near the end of that fight in Southtown.
Dashing forward to aid the stranger, he found another of those things baring his path. He didn't know where this sudden instinct came from. His knees gave away and he slid underneath the blade of the monster as it went to slash him and brought his own blade up, slicing through the flesh and cutting the creature's legs out from under it. He recovered mid-slide and found himself back on his feet as he wondered how the in the hells he pulled that off. Looking back up and focusing on his goal he saw another of those things join the fray, his ally was being left little room to breathe.
His feet slamming into the ground charging faster than he thought he ever could, the blade pierced all the way through monster's rotting flesh. Roaring and with strength he didn't know he had he brought his blade upward bisecting the creature torso to head. He watched the creature crumble before him and its flesh dissolving into a black miasma. Atris had not noticed that before and was greeted with the same thing as he saw his masked ally cut down their other opponent. Panting heavily, alarms began ringing in his head, the sudden tenseness of his ally, his own instincts and awareness. Atris brought his blade up at the last second and blocked what would've been a death blow but was flung to his feet an intense pain fired up in his chest as he had the air knocked out of him.
Gasping for breath he barely managed to roll out of the way of a lethal blow that split the ground near him. His sights set on the biggest of the monstrosities from the host. Grabbing hold of his tome, he readied to fire a spell at the monster to buy some breathing room. It grabbed his hand; it grabbed his damn hand with a quickness he had not expected and pinned him down. The spell remained charged in his hand, but he couldn't break the grip of the decayed beast. Frantically he tried to reach for his blade, tried to reach for anything to aid him only to find dirt. His breath hitched when a swift slice through the wind severed the arm that pinned him down.
The masked ally had rushed to his aid, but soon found themself on the backswing. The creature cared not for pain; chances are it simply didn't feel it. Its dismembered arm meant nothing more than another victim had approached it and with inhuman might smashed its blade down on the stranger's sword. Atris knew if the stranger moved the monster would simply resume the attack and kill him, but he also knew his ally couldn't keep up the deadlock, whatever second wind they had been blessed with was gone the moment that thing smashed into their sword. He knew if the monster didn't even flinch at its arm being cut off, he had no chance with his spell. In desperation he grabbed his discarded blade with the hand that still held his spell. He got lucky throwing this thing once before, here's hoping he got lucky twice.
He hadn't noticed it until the sword left his hand, but the spell in his hand was gone. Time seemed to slow as he watched his sword which now glowed with a humming luminosity compared to the flickering lights from the burning forest around them. The blade sunk deep into the chest of the creature as it seemed curious for a brief moment on this latest sensation. Its curiosity didn't last long as its body seized lightning poured forth from it. Atris tried to crawl away from the brightness and the stinging as the occasional spark from the monster's body lashed out at him. Despite whatever he did though the creature still wouldn't die. Struggling, it fought against the wrath of arcane energy surging through its body. But this was all more than enough for the stranger to leap in the air and slice the creature's head off. As the others before it, it had dissolved into a black miasma. Atris heard Chrom call for Sully and Frederick to regroup. His heart racing, he looked up fearing Chrom was in danger.
In truth the battle was won, as the two knights ran down the remains of the host that had threatened them. They were different now, while he would've hesitated to call them organized now, it seemed they were completely order less. It was if they had no sense of awareness outside of what was in their immediate area. It didn't matter for now though, they had won, and with a heavy thud Atris let his head hit the ground as he lay there recuperating.
"What kind of fool throws their weapon at the enemy?" Atris turned up to see the masked stranger looking down at him. It seemed less of a question and more of a statement.
"The kind of fool whose seen it work twice now. Look, I'm beyond tired right now I'm sur-" He finally noticed the stranger had left him simply lying on the ground and went to assist Chrom in... something. In truth Chrom was simply catching his breath from the fight. "Oh yea, mysterious masked one I'm fine. No, no I'm just glad we were able to watch each other's back and come out of this unscathed!" he grumbled to himself, not even bothering to mask the anger in his voice. It felt like hours he lay there on the ground; he hadn't really given thought to how low on energy he was. He had tried to get up several times, but the ground was so warm, and he was so spent.
"An admirable display, but perhaps it would be more fitting to find rest in a more appropriate manner?" A gloved hand extended into sight accompanied by a highly amused voice. Taking the hand, Atris felt himself hoisted up albeit with a bit of a struggle from the latest addition to the group. He saw the light blue-haired archer standing before him, a small cocksure smile drawn upon thier face. "I must admit your plan won the day; you bear the markings of a promising tactician. Granted having the "Archest of Archers" was certainly an advantage you weren't expecting." He found himself chuckling despite himself. He honestly didn't care if the archer's attempt at conversation was for purely veiled self-praise, after the reception he got from the masked stranger that left him on the ground, it was a welcome one.
"Atris, if I may be so bold to introduce myself first to the "Archest of Archers".
"I would expect nothing less than boldness given your fighting today. I am Virion, come now though we should regroup with the others," the man remarked with a sense of satisfaction at the back and forth. He couldn't help but smile, Virion at the very least definitely took things in stride, that was for sure.
Coming back to the group with Virion in tow, he saw everyone, but Frederick in dire need of rest. The fires in the forest had even lost their strength, the bright dancing flames beginning to smolder. The trees to the north and west had largely been untouched. Luck or providence it seemed to be, as Ylisstol lay to the northwest the last thing Atris wanted was to slog through a burned down forest. Rejoining the group properly he noticed the stranger stand suddenly, they were clearly still running ragged. The stranger looked at them all while their face was hidden, their lips were not. Frustration frequently danced upon them as if trying to figure out something to say.
"The creatures you've faced today are a sign of the things yet to come. This world will soon stand upon the brink of annihilation. I've given you all my warnings." The masked stranger turned their departure clear.
"W-wait, you aided us and yet we don't even know your name." Chrom called out to the stranger.
"If you must have a name... you may call me Marth." Marth turned to Chrom a pained grimace shooting across their face.
"Well... you certainly fight well enough to do your namesake proud." Chrom stepped closer to Marth clearing trying to keep their newfound ally in conversation. But all it seemed to do was cause Marth to flee into the forest.
"Not the talkative type, are they? What exactly happened between you three?" Atris questioned turning to Chrom and Lissa. They looked at each other with Chrom simply shrugging.
"Well, I awoke in the middle of the night, an odd feeling crept up on me. It was like my skin was being pricked. I thought I saw a figure moving through the darkness and went to investigate it, when Lissa awoke not too soon after." Chrom sighed as he saw Frederick glaring at his recklessness involving not only himself, but his sister as well. "We found nothing, but suddenly the earth ripped apart as you no doubt discovered. Lissa and I ran for our lives to escape from the inferno when we came to the clearing you found us in. A strange glyph appeared in the sky, with two of those corpses things we fought, and Marth alongside them coming out of it. He saved Lissa's life holding off one of the creatures while I dealt with the other. Not long after, you and Frederick showed up." Chrom looked at the group finishing his story. Most would've called it crazy or a bad nightmare, but given all of them had experienced it, at least most of it, no one was willing to question it.
So, Marth had literally fallen from the sky. Atris placed his fingers on his temple drumming them against it. He started remembering the words of Mathias, "One good turn deserves another". Thinking of the state Marth was in, their situations had to be comparable. Marth clearly was alone with no one to watch their back. He felt the frustration boil, Frederick was saying something, but he couldn't properly hear the knight. He heard a loud and irritable groan and only when he realized it was his own did those frustrations finally boil over. Sprinting right into the woods he heard Frederick growling something about, "Not again". He called back to them saying he'd be back in a moment. He had to find Marth, even he was an absolute ass for leaving him on the ground, it seemed Atris grew a nagging sense of conscience that frustrated the absolute hells out of him.
"Oh, for the sake of... Marth! Damnit, where are you? Marth!" He shouted out and grabbed his ribs and doubled over wheezing. That hit took a lot more out of him than he thought. He stumbled forward and fell to knee and swore. The pain in his side was all too real now, the rush of battle had worn off, and sprinting off into the forest with bushes and other foliage whipping his sides didn't exactly make his situation any better. Hearing rustling in the distance, Atris jumped to his feet despite the pain and saw a figure emerge from the forest.
"Oh... uh, been looking for you. Didn't think you'd have the lead on me that you did. You um... seemed pretty exhausted by the end of the fight." Atris stammered somewhat. Was he nervous, why was he nervous? Marth simply stared at him silently. "Erm... here, I figure you might need this." He tossed Marth the pouch of coins Mathias' had given him earlier. Marth caught them with both hands, the only sound besides their breathing being the coins rustling from the impact. Marth looked down opening the bag as to confirm what they were holding was real and went back to silently staring at Atris, this time their head seemed to cock slightly. "Given you fell quite literally from the sky, I doubt you have any currency on you. Just, uh doesn't seem like something to happen. I mean I woke up in a field today completely destitute." He joked weakly as he was still being stared down by the masked stranger.
Suddenly with a quickness he hadn't expected, Marth closed the distance between the two. He couldn't help but jump back slightly spooked by the action, even though it didn't seem any hostility was intended by their mysterious ally. "Why are you doing this?" Marth asked plainly, it seemed to be almost a question directed at themselves rather than Atris.
"I'm pretty observant. As I said I woke up in a field with nothing to my name, couldn't even remember the last time I ate. Fatigue really hit me in Southtown when we were battling some bandits. You're breathing, your swings, and that deadlock with that... thing really showed just how ragged you're running. That coin should at least get you back to full strength, or close to it."
"You didn't answer the question. Why are you doing this?"
"One good turn deserves another, right?" Marth simply stared at him again, whether they didn't understand or simply was trying to size him up he didn't know. "Look... you helped us and made it quite clear you're not coming with us, but the least I can do is try to help you back. This has been... well strange couldn't begin to describe it, but something tells me things aren't exactly going to calm down after tonight. Least we can do is look out for each other in whatever way we can." He explained if a bit exasperated from both the pain and his ribs and the untrusting Marth.
"Forgive me... kindness with no strings attached is not common where I'm from. It took restraint not to flee upon your approach." Marth spoke softly almost in a whisper as if afraid to wake something nearby. Before he could say more the masked man fled. He wondered what was going through Marth's mind. He couldn't help but think of how their situations were similar, if Chrom and Lissa hadn't found him. It took some time to shake those thoughts from his head, but it still left him a bit rattled. At the very least he could enjoy some-
"Oh, hells! The bear is back at the campsite! There's no way I'll get it back!" Atris yelled to the empty forest. Venting his frustrations to the empty air he kicked a rock into a tree and groaned, his ribs hurting him again. With a sharp hiss he tried to focus less on the pain and more on his breathing. It was then that he remembered, he still had some bear wrapped up and stored in his coat. He had planned to make jerky with it later, once he found out how to do that anyway.
His fist pumping the air and giving a small hop to go with it, his spirits were lifted anew. He got rid of his nagging conscience that would've no doubt bugged the absolute balls out of him, and there was still some delicious bear to be savored for later. With newfound energy he made his way back to his friends, but not before he also stole one last look in the direction Marth went. The earth tearing itself asunder, the dead walking, people falling from the sky. What madness had he woken up to in this world?
Author's Note
Hello everyone, sorry if this last bit is seen as tacky. I've never done anything like this before so author note etiquette isn't something I'm versed in. Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone who engaged with the prologue, I was incredibly nervous so it came out rougher than I wanted. That said, seeing the positive reception did spur me on. I'd especially like to thank Temporal King whose words both encouraged me to finish my latest rough draft, and also scared the crap out of me lol. I joke, but for real though thank you for kind words and advice, friend.