An Ill Presage.
To the surprise of no one, Validar had refused to hand over Plegia's gemstone and betrayed the Ylissians without hesitation. What was surprising was that Validar managed to control Robin and had him stealing the Fire Emblem for them. Lucina believed the safest option would be to kill Robin and stop him from being enslaved by Validar and used to kill Chrom. Luckily, Cassandra managed to talk her out of it, making good use of her motherly strength. With their unity secured, they were going to take the fight directly to Validar at The Dragon's Table. A huge spiraling structure found between the border of Macedon and Dolhr, surrounded by the Wyvern's Dale.
But once they got there they saw a huge mass of people heading towards The Dragon's Table. It was unnerving to say the least. They all looked like they were possessed, walking tiressly towards something... something dark and evil.
"All these strange travelers... What's happening here?" Chrom wondered.
"Let's ask 'em! Um, excuse me, sir? ...Sir?" Lissa tried talking to a man who didn't even seem to notice her presence.
"The appointed...time... ...to the Dragon's...Table... ...our prayers...Grima..." The man said in an emotionless tone.
"Riiiiiight... I'll just be backing away slowly then..." Lissa said as she backed away.
"Something is very wrong here... My heart feels heavy... and my spine feels cold... Something evil is causing all this..." Cassandra said as she rubbed her arms, feeling like she was freezing.
Frederick camed riding up on his horse "Sire!".
"Frederick! Have the scouts returned?" Chrom asked.
Frederick nodded "Yes, milord, and with grim news. Validar has moved to a great altar to Grima known as the Dragon's Table. What's more, it seems all the Grimleal in Plegia are headed there as well. It's as if they're being drawn by some unseen force...".
"Any idea what it all means?" Chrom asked.
"Who can say, sire? They speak only gibberish and plod on as if possessed" Frederick answered.
Chrom narrowed his eyes "The cataclysm in Lucina's future... This shows all the signs of leading to it. Damn! This destiny is a stubborn business...".
"We cannot give up" Lucina said, clearly worried that her future might actually be unavoidable.
Cassandra took her hand "We've come to far to give up now, Lucina. We are changing destiny today. We won't let your dark future come to pass".
"She's right, we wont give up. We make for this Dragon's Table, and quickly! Come, everyone!" Chrom ordered.
They hurried towards The Dragon's Table, and the closer they got, the worse they felt. They were clearly close to the end, but non knew for sure what to expect. Once they got close, they saw Validar and Aversa waiting for them.
"The Ylisseans have finally caught up to us, milord" Aversa said.
"Delay them. But carefully... We must reclaim Robin's power" Validar said.
"Ah, yes. Don't worry, I'll take extra care with Daddy's special little boy. As long as I get to taste that wonderful flesh of the queen" Aversa said as she eyed Cassandra with an evil perverted look.
"Validar!" Chrom called out the second he was close enough for Validar to hear him.
"Fools! Do you know where you've come?" Validar asked.
"Return the Fire Emblem now, and we can end this!" Chrom said.
Validar laughed mockingly "Aaah ha ha ha ha! You would...end this?".
"Yes, once and for all" Chrom confirmed.
"My dear boy, we already know how this story ends—you and I both! And yet you rush here... Are you so eager to meet the fell dragon yourself? Or perhaps your own fatal destiny—you would have that realized first? Ha ha!" Validar laughed again.
"To hell with your destiny. I'll write a new ending" Chrom said.
"Oh ho ho, so now you believe you can change fate? And here I thought your exalted sister had delusions of grandeur..." Validar said.
"We've done it already." Chrom reminded.
"Your victory over sad little Gangrel? Or perhaps Walhart's defeat? Those were meant to happen. They were preordained. You are just another fool in motley, capering on the stage!" Aversa said.
"But...what about Emmeryn!" Lissa said, remembering Emmeryn was supposed to be killed by an assassin, but thanks to Lucina they managed to stop it.
"You changed only the method of her death. Either way, she was planted in the ground..." Aversa retorted
"Then what about me? I was supposed to have my arm shattered long before this and be unable to keep fighting, yet here I stand, side by side with my family" Cassandra said.
"It matters not, you are destined to meet your end by the hands of the Azure Knight" Aversa said.
"Not if we prevent his existence!" Severa declared.
Validar smirked "You're already to late, little girl. Siegfried has already picked up Soul Edge, it won't be long until Nightmare is reborn".
"No..." Severa said in dread... She had failed... she had failed to save her father from his dark fate.
"Siegfried..." Cordelia said in worry.
Frederick stepped in "But Lady Emmeryn's death was Gangrel's will... Not yours... Not Validar's...".
Aversa was starting to get annoyed "You aren't listening. All of this—every word and action—has been orchestrated... Gangrel held the exalt in contempt, yes, so Validar and I used him. In life AND death. The king's demise threw Plegia into chaos. It drove the people to Grima... Now their life force and rancor can be laid before the fell dragon en masse".
"You couldn't mean..." Chrom said in worry.
"It is called the Table for a reason, you naive little man. It is where Grima feeds! The Grimleal have gladly offered themselves to him for ages. Even now, they pray for his return... Today the Table overflows with bounty, and their prayers will be answered!" Aversa said with an insane smile.
"I will never allow that to happen!" Chrom declared.
"But it already HAS happened in our future. This moment was set a millennium ago" Aversa said.
"How could anyone give their life willingly to that...thing? That monster!" Lucina said in disgust.
Cassandra glared at the mad cultists "People who's heart is as black as the fell dragon himself".
"I will stop you! I will stop Grima!" Chrom said as he held up his sword.
"Goodness! Now you're starting to sound like Walhart, the big bully... He intended to destroy Grima as well, you know. ...Our thanks, incidentally, for taking him off the stage for us" Aversa said.
Chrom growled, realizing they've been played "Rrgh... That's why you gave us your ships and treasure but no soldiers... Get rid of Walhart, but keep the faithful Plegians to set your god's Table...".
"Aversa, it is time. I must prepare" Validar said.
"As you command, Master" Aversa said.
"Validar! ...VALIDAR!" Chrom shouts as Validar leaves.
"Master Validar is not to be disturbed. But fear not, I have brought the Deadlords to keep you entertained. These 12 generals were great warriors in life...and even greater, now, in death! I would introduce them one by one, but well, as you'll see, they're not much for talk. Besides, you'll meet them all soon enough!" Aversa said.
A battle was unavoidable, not that they expected anything else. The two forces clashed, the enemy forces fighting like they had nothing to loose. This made them more dangerous as they weren't worried about dying. However, as the two armies clashed, Cassandra pushed through to confront Aversa directly. She had learned by now that taking out the commander was always a big step towards victory.
Aversa looked at her from the top of her pegasus and smirked "Well well, I was beginning to worry I wouldn't get the chance to have my fun with you before Nightmare arrives. Yet here you are, delivering yourself right to me".
"I care not for your perverse fantasies, Aversa. I am here to end all this. But before I strike you down, there is something I need to know" Cassadra said.
"Oh? Very well, I suppose I can answer your final question, Queen Cassandra" Aversa said.
Cassandra looked her in the eyes "I want to know why".
Aversa tipped her head to the side "Why?".
"Why do you follow Validar? I just can't understand how anyone could be loyal to such an devil. So why?" Cassandra asked.
Aversa was silent for a moment "He is...a father to me".
"What? You mean, you're Robin's sister?" Cassandra asked in shock
Aversa laughed "Aha ha ha! No my sweet little queen! Not literally... But he did raise me as if I were his own. Taught me everything... I was a poor orphaned wretch with dirt for food, yet Master Validar took me in. He provided when others would have watched me starve. I would never presume that he loves me... But he is everything I know of love. I would gladly die at his command".
"You know you're just another tool for him to use and then dispose of. Yet you're still helping him destroy the world?" Cassandra asked.
"But he IS the world, and it is YOU that would destroy HIM! From where I stand, YOU are the only aggressors here. How Robin lives with the shame, attacking his own blood..." Aversa said in disgust.
"Don't try to turn this around on us! You are no family of Robin. He helped us when he didn't need to. He owed us nothing when he helped us stop Gangrel, and could've easily left to live his own life, but he chose to stay with us and fight for a better future and doesn't throw away millions of lives for the sake of one. We're more of a family than you and Validar could ever dream to be!" Cassandra said.
"A sweet sentiment, and easily spoken when you bear no love for the one... But more difficult when the sacrifice was your exalt, wasn't it? And you are only here because you wanted to protect your own sister, someone you would gladly die for. You and I aren't so different" Aversa said.
"I am nothing like you! My actions comes from love, not blind devotion! Had my sister gone down a dark path I would not follow her. I would pull her from it!" Cassandra declared.
"I don't expect you to see the world through my eyes, Queen. But I won't pretend to understand how things look through yours" Aversa said.
Cassandra calmed down a little "Then... there are no more words to speak".
"No, I suppose there isn't" Aversa agreed.
Both women got ready to fight. Aversa opened up with an blast of dark magic, which Cassandra dodged, she needed to ground Aversa if she was going to win, so she needed to bring down her Pegasus. But Cassandra had no range attacks... or did she? As Aversa prepared another spell, Cassandra threw her shield right in to the Pegasus' head, the concussion causing it to loose focus and crash. Aversa was sent flying of her downed steed, and tumbled across the ground. She looked up to see Cassandra already closing in with her sword ready.
Having no time to prepare another spell, Aversa dodged the strike before slashing Cassandra across the face with her nails, narrowly missing her eye. Cassandra held her face in pain, Aversa's broke three of her nails, but what minor pain she felt from it was easily ignored as she took the chance to prepare a powerful dark spell. Cassandra couldn't avoid this one, but luckily her shield was nearby, and quickly grabbed it just as Aversa unleashed her dark spell.
Cassandra held up her shield... which began glowing in bright like as Aversa's attack was completely cancelled out. Much to both women's surprise.
"The Holly Blade And Shield..." Aversa said in worry.
Cassandra got of her shock "Your future vision didn't see this coming?".
"We knew they would come in to play somehow... But we weren't sure when. But it matters not, your fate is sealed!" Aversa said as she unleashed her fully power.
Cassandra blocked the dark energy... Then her sword began glowing as well. She could feel it's power and thrusted it forward, unleashing yellow lightning which struck Aversa in the stomach, making her fall to her knees, holding her burn wound in pain.
"Ooh... You play rough... But the ritual has already begun. You are too late! Farewell! Perhaps we shall meet again? Oh, actually...I suppose not! Cause Nightmare should be here very soon! Heh heh!" Aversa said as she used magic to escape.
Chrom ran up "Damn! She escaped! Aversa wouldn't leave Validar before he was ready, even with her wounds. His preparations must be complete...".
"We have to stop him! My future is upon us!" Lucina said in fear
"We will, Lucina. I swear to you, we will" Chrom promised before looking at Cassandra "Are you alright?".
"I'm fine... Thanks to the power within my sword and shield. It's the same power I used to kill Astaroth" Cassandra remembered.
"Well it picked a perfect time to resurface. We'll need all the power we can get if we are to stop Validar" Chrom said.
"Right, we need to hurry before Grima returns" Cassandra declared.
Everyone agreed and hurried on... hoping to finally end this darkness once and for all.
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