The Nightmare Of The Future.
Chrom and the others has returned to Ylisse from Regna Ferox; Chrom is in a room with Emmeryn and Lissa.
Emmeryn had been listening to her brother's report "...Then Regna Ferox will support Ylisse? Thank you, Chrom. I knew sending you was the right choice".
Chrom smiled "You should see Ferox's warriors! Perhaps now our people will be safe from-"
Phila suddenly hurries towards them "Your Grace! M-milord! Forgive me, but I bring alarming news! ".
Emmeryn looks at her in surprise by her sudden alarmed state "Phila! Slow down, please! What's happened?".
"Plegian soldiers have been sighted inside our southwest border! They attacked a village in Themis and abducted the Duke's daughter" Phila informed.
Lissa got wide eyes "B-but that would be...Maribelle! Chrom, we have to do something!".
"There's more: King Gangrel of Plegia claims Lady Maribelle invaded HIS country. He demands we repay reparations for this insult" Phila said.
Chrom growls in anger "And we're to believe a dastard like the Mad King of Plegia?".
Emmeryn looks at him "Peace, Chrom. We must keep our wits about us".
Chrom did not change his tone, if anything it became even more hateful "We should put a sword in his gut and be done with it! The Mad King has been trying to provoke war with Ylisse at every step! He won't stop until he drags this whole continent to hell with him!".
Phila had a similar look "I agree with the prince, Your Grace. We must demonstrate to Plegia that such actions have consequences".
Emmeryn shakes her head "I understand your feelings, Chrom. Truly I do. But if we give him the war he wants, then we lose, no matter what the outcome. Our last conflict nearly ruined the halidom. It left Ylisseans homeless and starving. We cannot repeat that mistake. I will offer parley with King Gangrel".
Lissa couldn't believe what she just heard "Emm, no! You can't!".
"Please reconsider, Your Grace. He cannot be trusted to act in good faith!" Phila said.
Emmeryn got a more stren look "So we either choose to march to war or leave Lady Maribelle to die? No. I will not accept that".
Phila looks down "...Forgive me, Your Grace. I spoke out of turn. I know you will stand always by your own principles. Pray, allow the pegasus knights to accompany you, though".
"I'm going, too. ...Someone has to save you from your good intentions" Chrom declared.
"And I want to be there for you AND Maribelle!" Lissa added.
Emmeryn couldn't help but to smile at her siblings determination, there was no arguing with them on this "As you wish. Thank you all. Your strength will be mine".
Later, Chrom, Cassandra, Robin, and Lissa walks through the halls until they stop and face each other.
"Well then! Is everyone ready to go? It's a long march through the western mountains to the Plegian border" Chrom said.
"I'm as ready I'll ever be. No way we are leaving Maribelle to those animals" Cassandra declared.
"Thank you, Cassandra" Lissa said with a smile, which Cassandra returned.
Suddenly a young man arrives "Captain! I'm all packed! When do we leave?!".
"Ricken? How did you... Go back inside. You're not old enough for this mission" Chrom said.
"But, Captain! You know my skill with magic! You know I can handle myself!" Ricken argued.
"I'd feel safer with your magic here, protecting the garrison. All right? We're off, then. Be good" Chrom said before he, Cassandra Lissa, and Robin leave.
"Be good? Gods, how old does he think I am? ...Well, I'll show him just how good I can be!" Ricken declares.
While the Ylissians were scrambling to prepare for their trip to meet the mad king Gangrel in hopes of convincing him to free Maribelle, the sword fighter Marth, who was really a young woman from the future named Lucina, was doing all she could to make sure her dark future never came to pass. Right now she was carefully monitoring the events, waiting for the moments where she would need step in and stop something horrible from happening... Still, looking at her home brought up a lot of bad memories from the future.
Years ago, when Lucina was still really young, Chrom was ready to head out for another battle. The war had taken it's toll on their home, but there was little else they could do. Cassandra made it no secret how she felt about all this.
"This isn't right... I should be going with you" She said in a sad tone.
"Cassandra, we both know why you can't. Ever since your arm was injured, sending you in to battle would mean certain death" Chrom said.
Cassandra holds her arm, glaring at her scar "I hate this... I feel so useless...".
Chrom takes her hand "You are nowhere near useless. With you here, Lucina will always have support from her parent. And knowing you are safe here puts my mind at ease and allows me to fight without worry".
"But that doesn't stop me from worrying about you! I am so tired staying behind and worry about if you will come home or not!" Cassandra almost shouted.
Chrom sighs, he knew this must be very difficult for her... But it was his duty as the Exalt to fight for his home "I'm sorry, Cassandra... I wish things were different".
"Damn that monster that made unable to fight! Damn the Risen for never staying away! DAMN THOSE DASTARDS FOR STARTING THIS WAR IN THE FIRST PLACE! DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL!" Cassandra finally snapped.
Chrom got wide eyes "Cassandra!".
Cassandra looked behind her and gasped when she saw frightened Lucina. She quickly ran up to her and hugged her "Oh sweetie I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to scream like that... I was just...".
Lucina was silent for a moment before she spoke "Those monsters... they make you angry?".
Cassandra sighed "Yes, I am very angry at them...".
Chrom walks up and kneels down next to them "I'm sorry I have to leave, but it is to make sure you two remain safe. And I promise, I will come back as soon as possible".
"You better, or I will punish you myself" Cassandra warned, but her tone was softer now.
Chrom smiled before looking at Lucina "And I trust you to protect your mother until I get back".
Lucina nods with a smile "I will, father. And when you get back, will you teach me more sword techniques?".
"Of course I will, I will teach you everything I know" Chrom promised.
Lucina looks at Cassandra "When will you teach me your secret technique?".
Cassandra blushed but smiled "When you are old enough".
Lucina pouts and Chrom chuckled. After taking some time for a more heart filled farewell, Chrom headed out... Little did they know... this was the last time they would see him.
A while later, Lucina woke up to the sound of crying. Confused, she got out of bed and looked around... Until she saw her mother... on her knees, crying in front of Frederick, who's face was full of shame.
"Mother? What happened?" Lucina asked as she walked up next to Cassandra... and saw her father's sword, Falchion laying in front of her crying mother.
"I'm... sorry... I... I failed... I failed you all..." Frederick said, clenching his fist so hard he had started bleeding.
Cassandra looks at Lucina "Chrom... Your father... He is... He is gone... He... he is never coming back".
Lucina may be young, but she still understood what her mother meant... Tears began streaming down her face as she hugs Cassandra hard, crying in to her chest. Cassandra quickly hugged her back... Both had lost someone they loved with all their heart... And things would only get worse.
2 Years later, Lucina was groaning on the floor, barely noticing the light of the flames surrounding her. However, when she tried to move, she felt pain in her leg. She looked down and saw blood coming from her leg. Suddenly a soldier showed up and checked on her.
"Princess! You ok?" He asked in concern before the sound of screaming was heard. Gritting his teeth, the soldier picked Lucina up and began running. He reached a hallway, where a large group of his fellow soldiers where trying to open a large door "Hurry! We need to get the princess to safety!".
"We're trying! The door is stuck!" Another soldier said before everyone stopped when the sound of armored footsteps was heard.
Everyone looked down the hallway, pure terror in their eyes. The footsteps grew louder and louder... until a dark monster emerged from the shadows. A monstrous knight clad in gold-detailed azure armor and a tattered black cape, his right arm mutated into a grotesque three-fingered claw as a result of his Malfestation. His face and much of his body are obscured by his armor and helmet, the latter of which has two sets of fins on its back and a horn protruding from the front. He glares at Lucina, barely noticing the soldiers as he horrifying sword began to glow with evil power.
"KILL HIM!" A soldier shouted.
The several archers quickly prepared their arrows and fired at the dark Knight. Hower the Demonic Knight easily blocked the arrows with his large sword before unleashing a magical blast that killed the archers. The remaining soldiers charged him with their swords, axes and spears. One sword wilder tried to strike him, but the Demonic Knight easily killed him with a single swing of his blade. Another soldier charged him with his spear, only for The Knight to grab it and with a simple movement from his hand, he snapped the spear in half before impaling the soldier through the chest. An Ax wielder tried to attacking him, but the sharp end of his ax was caught by the Demonic Knights hand and he was easily killed.
The Soldier holding Lucina began pounding on the door in panic "HELP US!".
The Demonic Knight continued cutting his way through the remaning solders. One was grabbed by the head and smashed in to a wall, one was stabbed in the chest before before being slammed in to the sealing, while another was his so hard by the blade, it not only cut his chest open, but also sent him through the wall. One soldier backed away in fear before falling down and tried crawling away as the Demonic Knight stood over him.
"No! No! NOO-" He was cut of as the Knight slammed his foot down on his head, crushing it.
With some help from the other side, the soldier had managed to force the heavy door open just enough for Lucina to fit through it. Noticing the Demon Knight approaching he quickly pushed Lucina through the small opening "Take her! Get her to safety! Hurry-AH!".
Just as the Female soldier on the other side of the door had taken Lucina in her arms, the demonic blade rammed through her comrade and the door. She quickly ran away, with Lucina in her arms, hoping the door would slow the Demonic Knight down long enough for her to get Lucina to safety. However, a Risen showed up and stabbed the soldier in the back, causing her to drop Lucina. The Young girl looks up to see the Risen looking down at her before raising it's blade.
"NO!" Before the Risen could deliver a killing blow, Cassandra charged in and brutally stabbed the monster to death. After Chrom's death, Cassandra had forced herself to fight with only one working arm. She was also carrying Falchion on her back, she couldn't wield it since she lacked the blood of the Exalts, but she could keep it safe.
"Mother?!" Lucina said in fear.
Cassandra put away her sword and picked her up "Come on Lucina! We got to go, now!".
Lucina held on to her mother as they ran outside. Cassandra quickly signaled a Pegasus Knight, who landed in front of them. Cassandra hands Lucina over to the Pegasus Knight before screams where heard behind her. She looked and saw several dead soldiers... And The Demonic Knight was walking out of the building.
Cassandra realized they would never make it out of here as long as that monster was on their heels... So she removed Falchion from her back and handed it to Lucina "Listen Lucina... I will need you to be strong now".
"Mother? What are you doing?" Lucina asked in confusion and fear.
Cassandra put her hand on Lucina's cheek "Listen to me Lucina. I am proud of you, I've always been proud of you. And your father was too. We both loved you so much, and I know you will be the future's salvation".
Lucina was starting to understand what was happening, but she didn't want to believe it "M-Mother...".
Cassandra kissed her cheek "I love you, my daughter... Go! Hurry!".
The Pegasus knight hesitated for a second before she ordered her Pegasus to take to the sky.
"Mother! No we can't leave her! MOTHER!" Lucina screamed in tears while reaching out for her mother.
"I'm sorry..." Cassandra said, her own tears running down her face.
"Your sacrifice means nothing. You've only delayed the inevitable. I will find her, no matter where she hides. And the soul of the Exalt will be mine!" The Demonic Knight declared as he had finally reached Cassandra.
Cassandra said nothing as she turned around, gripped her sword... Before letting out a loud battle cry as she ran at the Demonic Knight who raised his blade and delivered a single strike.
Meanwhile, Lucina was crying in to the Pegasus Knight's chest... knowing all to well what had just happened.
Back with the adult Lucina, she leans on a tree, doing her best not to crumble under those crushing memories. She's already managed to change several things, but she knew she would need to prevent much more to save her future... However, she knew if the future was going to have any hope of surviving... There is one big event she must stop from happening.
Nightmare, must never exist.
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I don't want this story to just be Fire Emblem Awakening with some Soul Calibur characters tagging along. So I made a chapter to show just how dark Lucina's future is, and show some of the things that happened.
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Tell me what you think.