I do not own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the characters.
Betrayed
"That traitor bastard!" Corbin snarled.
They had reached a mountain range, somewhere about halfway to the secondary castle. However, as they reached it, Plegians had surrounded them, the hierarch, one of Emmeryn's advisors who had been with her since she became the exalt, revealing he had sold them out for a promise of protection from Gangrel, only for the Plegian commander present to have him executed, claiming that his orders were to protect a man, but the hierarch was a swine and a chicken, and therefore was not protected.
"Things are about to get messy," Panne, the shapeshifter who had the ability to become a giant rabbit, a species called a Taguel, said lowly.
"Agreed," Lon'qu nodded, gripping his sword's hilt.
"Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler, and save yourselves a gory end!" the commander ordered.
"Phila, take Emmeryn to the rear of the column!" Chrom ordered. "We'll fend off these blackguards!"
Phila complied instantly, leading Emmeryn away from the Plegians as everyone else prepared themselves for battle. As they did, several Wyvern Knights took off from higher in the mountains. Instantly, Corbin sent Ricken and Sumia into the air on Sumia's pegasus to deal with them. It was three-on-one, and wyverns were more agile in the air, but pegasi flew faster, so Sumiya could hold her own as long as the archers on the ground were busy, as all three of the Wyvern Knights were wielding spears. As the two of them took off to deal with the Wyvern Knights, Chrom led the others into a charge.
The two axe wielding Plegians who had rushed forward when the ambush was first sprung fell almost instantly as Panne and Lon'qu reached them, Panne crushing one's chest with a kick and Lon'qu splitting the other's torso in half diagonally. Then, both were rushing through the enemy soldiers, heading for the archers all trying to line up a shot at Sumia and Ricken. As they were rapidly decreasing the number of archers, Chrom and Robin carved their way straight toward the commander, leaving the grunts to Corbin and the others. Corbin deflected an axe, slashing the man wielding it, then ducked, allowing Gaius to leap over him, slashing another Plegian across the chest as he landed. A moment later, Sully, Stahl, and Frederick stormed past on their horses, plowing through a small group of Plegians and knocking them to the ground before all killing another directly. The group they'd knocked over were instantly swarmed by the Ylissean soldiers accompanying Emmeryn.
A soldier with a spear rushed forward, stabbing up at Sully, only for Kellam to step in between them, blocking the spear before both he and Sully speared the Plegian, killing him.
"What are you doing!?" Sully demanded. "I don't need your help!"
"But I was..." Kellam trailed off as Sully rode away, rejoining the fray again.
Kellam sighed, then turned, moving to aid everyone not on a horse. As he fought his way back into the battle from the opposite side from Corbin and the others, Corbin slashed a pair of Plegians and killed them, blasting a third, then looked up just as Sumia and Ricken began to be pursued two of the Wyvern Knights above, having killed only one. He raised his tome, sending a lightning bolt flashing up through the air. He missed by a hair's breadth, but both Wyvern Knights broke off the pursuit, and a moment later, a massive blast of razor-sharp wind hit the lead one, killing the wyvern, and it plummeted to the ground, killing its rider on impact. Corbin nodded, satisfied, blocking an axe, and Vaike killed its wielder with his own axe. Then, he ducked as a sword flashed over him, only for Corbin to blast the Plegian in the chest with Thunder, killing him. Vaike nodded to Corbin, then darted past him and knocked a spear aside before blocking a sword. Corbin and Donnel stepped forward, killing the two Plegians, and Vaike sighed, then grunted in pain, holding a hand to his side, where the spear had managed to graze his side.
"Go have Lissa heal you!" Corbin ordered.
Vaike nodded, turning and retreating past their forces as Frederick returned to the main battle from where he and the other mounted forces had been clearing the fringes of the battle and watching for reinforcements. Corbin turned, looking across the battlefield just as the Plegian commander fled Chrom, leaping onto a wyvern just as Chrom and Robin killed the soldiers who had tried to help the commander. The commander let out a victorious laugh as his wyvern took off, and Chrom and Robin swore.
"Prince Chrom!" a high, feminine voice called out from above. "Captain Phila! Beware! Enemy reinforcements to the rear! They'll be upon us soon!"
Corbin swore. He recognized the uniform armor of the Pegasus Knights as he spotted the speaker. An attractive woman with straight, blood red hair, a beautiful, pure white pegasus carrying her, a pair of small, feathered-wing-like hair charms on the sides of her head, and a long, silver lance with dark blue cloth wrapped around the middle third of the lance, the very back end of the shaft just before a diamond-shaped arrowhead-like piece. The head of the lance, however, was hollow after the temper line, the central piece of the blade being replaced by four small, blue metal rods that were made to look like webbing or roots holding the blade together.
He didn't know this woman, but Phila looked deeply troubled by the news of reinforcements from the rear, and this woman's presence. However, Chrom waved her down immediately while Robin drew her sword and rejoined the fray with the others. As soon as the woman had landed, Chrom leapt up behind her, wrapping an arm around her before she spurred her pegasus into the air where the Plegian commander and Sumia were already battling. Corbin turned his attention back to the main battle, finding it was almost over, save for the reinforcements. Corbin blasted a Plegian as he charged at Lissa and Maribelle, who were healing some of the non-Shepherd soldiers, then turned, deflecting an axe and drove his sword up through the Plegian's throat. He ripped it back out and narrowed his eyes as several roars rang out above them. Three more Wyvern Knights had arrived and immediately moved to aid their commander, all three wielding axes. Corbin swore, then dropped his gaze to the battle as three Plegians leapt at him, slashing from above. He dropped to one knee, barely managing to block the two swords and an axe. A second later, Robin stepped up behind the trio and spun, her blade splitting them across the back. Corbin let the weapons fall to the ground and smiled, nodding to Robin, then passed her, slashing a Plegian who was passing by to attack a distracted Stahl, who was busy killing another soldier. Then, Sumia landed hard, instantly dropping off of the pegasus with Ricken, whose back was split wide and bleeding heavily.
"Ricken!" Maribelle shrieked, sprinting over to him and beginning to heal him. "You foolish boy!"
Corbin looked up, seeing all four wyverns pursuing Chrom and the woman he was riding with. "Sumia, let's go!"
Sumia nodded, all but leaping onto her pegasus, and Corbin leapt up behind her, glancing around. All of the ground forces had been slaughtered, but as Sumia spurred the pegasus into the air, he could see the reinforcements approaching, ground and air units alike.
"Phila, Frederick, Robin!" Corbin thundered. "Reinforcements are a couple minutes out! Get moving!"
All three nodded, and Corbin turned back to the front as one of the four wyverns broke off the pursuit of Chrom and the redhead, instead streaking toward Sumia and Corbin. As they neared him, the wyvern lunged for Sumia, only for Corbin to blast its face with Thunder, knocking it away. Then, as it was recoiling, Sumia speared the rider and Corbin slashed the wyvern, both of them dying and plummeting to the ground. Two more broke off of their pursuit of Chrom, heading for Corbin and Sumia, leaving only the commander to face them. As the two charging Corbin approached, Corbin raised his tome again, sending a lightning bolt into one of the two wyverns, killing both it and rider, sending them plummeting to the ground. The other Wyvern Knight struck at them, but they both avoided his axe. His wyvern flapped its wings, stopping itself and reversing directions, racing after them again. Sumia began to turn, and the Wyvern Knight raced forward to intercept them. Then, when he passed in range again, he swung his axe around, only for Corbin to deflect the axe, allowing Sumia to spear the wyvern, dropping it, though she lost her spear this time. They swung around toward the Plegian commander anyway, only to watch as both Chrom and the woman he rode with struck, Chrom removing the wyvern's head and the woman slashing with her spear, splitting the commander's side open.
He and his mount fell, crashing to the ground in front of Emmeryn and Phila, and Corbin had Sumia swing around toward where the Plegian reinforcements were approaching from. As they began to pass over them, several wyverns roared up at them and all of the archers present began to fire up at them. Sumia swore, struggling to avoid the arrows, and Corbin snarled, sheathing his sword. Then, he held out both hands, placing his right hand over the back of the left. As the tome pressed against his left palm, a massive bolt of lightning as wide as his torso erupted out, then branched into dozens of smaller bolts which tore at the mountainside above the Plegians, carving through the stone and exploding. A second later, the mountain crumbled, the landslide slaughtering the entire column of Plegians, save for one Wyvern Knight, who managed to take off before the debris reached him. However, before he could reach Sumia and Corbin, the redhead swept past below them, driving her spear entirely through the wyvern and into the rider's abdomen, then out his back. Then, before the wyvern could fall, she grabbed the shaft behind the rider and ripped the spear the rest of the way through, nodding to Sumia. Both of them landed, cantering over to where Chrom was arguing with Emmeryn before Corbin dropped to the ground.
"Take it to Ferox, to safety," Emmeryn was instructing Chrom, who was holding a bronze-looking shield with five spherical indentations, one of which bore a white stone and four of which were empty.
"And leave you?" Chrom scoffed. "No, Emm!"
"No part of House Ylisse is more important than the Fire Emblem," Emmeryn stated. "It possesses tremendous power, but too much power has been shed already. I hope it finds a better guardian in you than it did me."
"Emm, come on," Chrom pleaded. "You can't...Don't talk like that! You sound like you're ready to give up! I am not giving up, Chrom. I am only giving what I can."
"Emm, please!" Chrom begged her as she began to walk away with Phila. "This is madness!"
"Sis, wait!" Lissa begged. "Let me go with you!"
"Stay with Chrom, Lissa," Emmeryn instructed. "I command it."
"This isn't fair," Lissa accused, beginning to cry. "It's not fair! I know our people need you, but we need you, too!"
"Dry your tears, love," Emmeryn smiled. "This is not goodbye."
"Your Grace, the pegasus knights will accompany you to Ylisstol," Phila promised.
"Very well, Phila," Emmeryn nodded. "Thank you."
"I will keep the prince and princess safe, Your Grace," Frederick bowed. "You have my word."
"I know you will, Frederick," Emmeryn nodded. "Thank you."
"It is my honor," Frederick bowed.
"Cordelia," Phila said, turning to the redhead. "You will stay here with Chrom."
"But, Captain-"
"I know your heart is heavy," Phila interrupted Cordelia, whose eyes were red and watery from crying, "but this is how it must be. Your knight-sisters will be with you in spirit, wherever you go."
Cordelia sniffed, nodding. "May they give me strength. As you command, Captain. I will pray for your safety."
"Come Phila," Emmeryn said, turning away. "We must go."
"No!" Chrom finally snapped. "You don't have to go! This is absurd!"
"Chrom, you don't-" Emmeryn began.
"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone!" Chrom snapped. "Ylisse needs you! WE need you! Be selfish for once in your life!"
Emmeryn regarded him in silence for a long moment before smiling adoringly. "I love you Chrom. Both you and Lissa are my everything. As for the peace I seek...you cannot see who it is for. I have to go. I'm sorry. I truly am. Let us embrace again in Ylisstol when you arrive with Feroxi reinforcements. I know you will come."
"This is a terrible plan," Chrom warned her again.
"The blood of the first exalt flows strong in us," Emmeryn smiled. "You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I believe it with all my heart. Safe journey, Chrom. Safe journey, Lissa." She looked to Frederick, Corbin, and Robin. "Frederick, Corbin, Robin, I leave them in your care."
All three bowed, and Emmeryn turned away, leaving them with Phila and the Pegasus Knights. Chrom called after her, but she ignored him, finished with the conversation. In silence, they all watched as she and Phila mounted Phila's pegasus and flew away with the others.
Corbin leaned on the railing, gritting his teeth and glaring at the sky. He was worried. Chrom, Robin, Lissa, and Sumia were all in the arena, waiting for Flavia and Basilio to meet with them, Frederick was checking on everyone's gear, and Cordelia was tending to her and Sumia's pegasi. The others had scattered as well, and that left Corbin to brood on his ill feeling alone. To say he apprehensive would be an understatement. He could feel danger and dread weighing down on him. Something terrible was going to happen, but he wasn't sure what that something was, and it as bothering him to no end.
"There's no point stewing on it alone," Lon'qu said, stepping up beside him. "You don't fight alone, so you don't need to worry."
"It's not myself I'm worried for," Corbin said, raising a hand to the back of his neck, where his hair had been standing and falling ever since Emmeryn left. "Something's just...not right. Something's terribly wrong."
Lon'qu frowned. "You are afraid."
"Yes," Corbin nodded. "I just don't know what of."
Lon'qu nodded. "Don't worry. While I'm here, I'm not going to let anything bad happen."
Corbin forced a smile and nodded, and Lon'qu returned the nod before walking away. Corbin sighed, lowering his gaze again, this time staring at the horizon to the south. A storm was brewing. And if they weren't careful, it would swallow them whole.
"Corbin!" Chrom said urgently, stepping up beside him. "Trouble!"
"Tell me," Corbin said, turning to him.
"Ylisstol has fallen!" Frederick reported.
"How soon do we leave?" Corbin asked instantly.
"Now," Chrom said. "You and Robin will be forming a plan on the way."
Corbin nodded, and he and the others scrambled to collect their things, then set out. The Feroxi army had set out already and had sent scout ahead to spread word in Ylisse of the army moving south to the Plegian capital, in hopes of the remains of the Ylissean army joining them. However, the journey was slow. The days passed by at a crawl, and after what felt like far longer than it should have been, they finally entered Plegia's border, stopping amid a ruin in the desert to rest. Corbin rubbed at his eyes, narrowing them. Days of too little sleep and the sun beaming down had irritated them to the point of burning, and he was exhausted. However, they were going to rest for one final time before assaulting the capital. It was decided that the last rest would be necessary to defeat Plegia, but would result in the battle taking place the same day as the execution, which left them on a very short timeframe for the actual battle. That also meant that they couldn't afford to be delayed. And yet, they were. Always. First there was a town along the way being attacked by bandits and refusing to let a group of fleeing refugees in, even after the bandits had been dealt with. Then, there had been a battle just inside of Plegia's border, at the ruin. A Manakete, a member of the Dragon Tribe, in this case one that looked like a young blonde girl in what amounted to a scale-themed bikini, a cape, and thigh-high boots, was fleeing a middle-aged mercenary who struggled to speak the Tellius language. He'd been trying to protect her, however, and it had been a misunderstanding, but it had caused a battle against an enormous group of cultists worshiping Grima, the Fell Dragon.
Once that had been dealt with and the Manakete, Nowi, and the mercenary, Gregor, had been rescued, they'd continued on their way, finally stopping to rest before the final battle.
"Corbin, the remnants of Ylisse's army have arrived," Flavia informed him.
"Good," Corbin nodded.
Corbin was trying to figure out a way past the Plegian army between them and Emmeryn. So far, he'd been struggling.
"What does that give us?" Corbin asked.
"A few dozen cavalry, a hundred or so foot soldiers, and a couple hundred heavy knights," Basilio listed.
Corbin nodded, staring at the map before gritting his teeth as his eyes burned again, scrubbing at them.
Basilio and Flavia exchanged knowing looks.
"Rest," Flavia advised him. "You can't come up with a plan dead tired. We have thirteen house to finish the plan and get there. We'll wake you in seven."
Corbin sighed, nodding. "Thank you."
As he walked away, Chrom met him on the way to the tent.
"Going to rest?" Chrom asked.
Corbin nodded. "I need it. I can't think."
"Good," Chrom nodded, then hesitated. "I have a huge favor to ask. I doubt this will be the final battle of the war, so I need to ask you a favor. I want you to stay with the army while we go to rescue Emmeryn. I need either you or Robin to ensure we still have an army after all of this."
"And Robin refused to be stuck behind with the army," Corbin guessed, and Chrom nodded. "Alright. I'll stay behind. But for now, I need rest."
Chrom nodded, and Corbin ducked into his and Robin's tent. Robin was already resting, and Corbin followed suit almost as he hit the pillow.
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