Chapter 60: Carrion Island
Robin had magic still ringing in her ears. But she tried to call out headings to Frederick all the same; twists in the currents, ebbs in the waves, or where the ocean was coiling up to vent out its fury. The storm around them was only growing fiercer, the noise in her head growing more discordant along with it. Because there was a black magic driving those winds, shaping the rogue waves… As if the Risen ship wasn't already proof of that.
'Dead or not… We can't close with Walhart. Not yet, not as we are.' She only hoped the Shepherd wouldn't dismiss her words as cowardly. Chrom seemed hesitant to turn his back on the ship… But she also didn't miss the way his eyes rested on Emmeryn and Lissa.
He wasn't about to put them back in harms way. Or lose either of them again. The two mermaids were out of their element on the ship deck, but still clung fast to it as the Shepherd crew swarmed about the decks.
"More sail! More sail!" At least the crew still listened to Frederick, and his orders. And he in turn was listening to her, at least for the moment. "Robin, can't we get anymore distance-?"
She didn't answer him at once, too busy with staring over the prow. A scab of an island lurked on the horizon, just barely above the waters. It seemed stripped of all but a few threadbare trees, and like someone had taken a handful of blackened rocks and thrown them all down into the ocean. Some stuck like spears from the waves, ringing the central island like a guard.
"What is that…?"
"Carrion Island." Frederick provided a name for the place. "People tend to give it a wide berth… But it's the best place we have for hiding. From the storm, and from that ship. Well found."
"Right." Chrom nodded. "We hid among crags like that before, when we first started looking for the light houses… And maybe we can manage again."
If they could weave through the rocks. And lose the Risen among the crags. And mind the storm, doing its best to drown them all. Frederick seemed to pick up on Robin's worries, even as he steered the ship towards the island.
"I'm worried it might take a miracle to keep us alive-!" Frederick muttered. Right as he spoke, a strange humming seemed to rise up from the ocean. Robin risked a glance over the side, and spotted pale shapes cutting among the waves, shadowing and ringing the ship.
"Tharja?" Robin started to ask. There was something familiar in her hearing. And she wondered-
A flash of dark hair was all she needed, to realize there were friendly Mer beneath them, helping to guide the ship among and between the rocks.
'Or at least as friendly as Tharja can be.' She amended that.
"Chrom," she already started to warn… But he was also looking over the side of the ship, and far ahead of her.
"Stow your weapons!" Chrom called out. "We have friends helping us now!" The other Shepherds were looking below… And some of them were cursing. But no one loosed any arrows or spells at the finned shapes, leaving them to weave among the rocks. And the Shepherd was getting pulled along in the wake of the merfolk, narrowly avoiding each crag, each spike… And slowly losing the Risen ships in the twist of passages.
At last the Shepherd came to a resting place. It wasn't the most hospitable, but it would hide them from the searching ghost ship, and shelter them from the storms.
In the shadow of the island, they dropped anchor. And when the Shepherd finally slowed, Robin allowed herself to breathe. She looked around, taking in the state of the ship. The Shepherd had picked up a few wounds, but fared better than some of the wreckage drifting about them.
And with the Shepherd slowing down, the merfolk were opting for distance; Emmeryn and Lissa were scrambling back towards the merfolk, and the welcoming embrace of the waves.
Emmeryn struggled more than Lissa… At least until Phila strode towards her, and wound her arms around the Exalt. She lifted Emmeryn up with an almost gentle motion, and took careful steps towards the edge of the ship.
"Emmeryn… Hasn't lost everything. Not with how Phila treats her." Chrom whispered as he watched.
Robin didn't hear what Phila whispered in Emmeryn's ear, before she set her on the edge of the ship. Emmeryn herself hesitated, suddenly not quite as ready to plunge back into the waves. Her hand went up to rest over Phila's chest for a moment… Directly over her heart, as Emmeryn bowed her head to the other woman.
Only then did she finally let herself overbalance, and slide off the side of the Shepherd. A part of Robin wanted to follow her and Lissa… But the rest of her realized she shouldn't test the magic. And that the crew of the Shepherd still needed her and Chrom here.
-o-o-o-
Chrom breathed a little more easily as the Shepherd dropped anchor, and his sisters slipped into the sea. His heart had calmed, even as the storm grumbled around them. Carrion Island provided a crude shelter from the gales and the tides, leaving them to float and huddle away from the worst of the storm.
"We live to see another day." Robin sighed out. She drew his eyes away from the sea at that, and Chrom gave a slight murmur in agreement. He needed to stop staring after his sisters. Stop wondering over what it would be like to swim with them-
Olivia gave a slight yelp; not as loud as the scream before, but it still pushed a jolt through Chrom. He found himself dashing to the other side of the ship, careful not to slide across the rain slicked deck. And he found himself looking down at Henry once again.
"Soooo… Are you gonna scream at me again?" Henry asked Olivia, who shook her head back and forth.
"N-no. Just wish you wouldn't shock me like that… Why do you keep sneaking up on me, anyway?"
"Because you move pretty." Henry tilted his head as Olivia sputtered. "…Wait. Is that not something you tell land walkers?"
"We need to go over your manners." Robin broke into the conversation, rolling her eyes at Henry. "That's not even something you say to merfolk."
Chrom left off as Robin walked Henry through the steps of conversation, looking over the rest of the ship. Even with the rain, a few Shepherds were managing. Maribelle had broken out a dainty umbrella, while Miriel was shrugging off the rain from underneath her mage hat. The mage had also leaned over the railings, and was locked in conversation with Tharja. Chrom caught snatches of formula, theories of magic… And even an odd smile from the dark mage.
Robin was staring at that, and Tharja caught the look. She rolled her shoulders in a shrug.
"Landwalker or not, it's nice when someone isn't squeamish about magic. And actually LISTENS when I've got some suggestions." She give a dismissive shrug, glancing over her shoulder and out to the west only briefly. Towards sunken Plegia.
"So… Does this mean you'll be following us the rest of the way?" Robin asked, and Tharja gave a noncommittal shrug.
"Maybe. Probably. As long as you guys don't shoot us-"
"I'll reinstate that order among the crew." Frederick cut into the conversation. The knight was still pale faced, wobbling a little where he stood… But he wasn't about to keel over from trauma, at the very least. His wounds had been patched, and Sumia was still close by his side, just in case the cuts decided to open again.
"Frederick… You're-?" Chrom tried to ask. Frederick waved aside his concern.
"It will take more than that to end me… Largely thanks to your sisters. I… Was misguided in my caution." Chrom wondered at the way Frederick also glanced to Robin as he said that. "The merfolk continue to guide us along. And keep you safe."
"I… I trust them. Emm, and Lissa, and Robin-"
"As for that. You've grown closer than I'd ever imagined." Chrom stilled for a moment, as Frederick continued to watch Robin.
"I hope that's not a problem…?" Chrom knew his voice was guarded. But Frederick didn't remark on that.
"It worried me at first. But now, I realize that it's likely due to Robin and her ways that you're still alive, and that you were able to come back. And… That's likely while the rest of us are still alive. We're all neck deep in magic, and it's good to have even a handful of people who can command it."
Frederick broke off with a soft chuckle.
"Which applies to you as well, milord. She's kept you alive, and strong… And for what little it may be worth, you have my blessings and congratulations."
"Y-you're wha-? You mean-?" At that, Frederick left Chrom staggering. Simply pausing to meet Robin's eyes, and give her the briefest smile and bow of the head.
Chrom almost found himself praying for the Risen to find them.
-o-o-o-
Lucina prayed for some sort of end.
Her shoulder scraped against the rock. A little more salt water stung at her wounds, and she kicked up to grab a precious mouthful of air. The next moment, a wave closed over her face and threatened to rob her of that breath.
'Don't drown-'
That thought kept her holding her breath, even as the waters closed over her and time slowed around Lucina.
She lost track of how many tides had come and gone, how often she'd nearly drowned, and for how long the poison burned in her blood. Her world started to fade around her, in favor of the burning in her lungs and her pulse-
A brush from Morgan brought her back, and left Lucina fighting for the surface. She clawed and scrambled, her head barely breaking the waves. She took a shuddering breath, as the chord snapped around her legs and stopped her short. Morgan crashed against her, barely able to tilt his head up and gasp for air. Lucina had a little more luck, pushing her head beyond the waves.
A dark figure waited for her, coiled away from the splash and resting on the rocks.
'It must be dusk again.' Lucina had time to think, glaring up at only way she had of marking the days were when Validar came and went. And always with just one question. She grit her teeth, already anticipating his words.
"Shall you submit to Grima?"
Lucina gave a rasping and angry noise. It was becoming harder to say no; this time she couldn't even manage the words. Will, clarity, her own song, all of it were being worn away by tides and sorcery. Usually when she shouted her defiance, Validar sighed and slipped away. But this time he lingered.
"Oh? No words for me this time?" He murmured, looking over her. "No curses, no rebellion?"
Morgan gave a weak noise, filled with pain as he tried to breathe. The sound tore at Lucina's heart.
"You know, you can stop his suffering. His pain. Just with one agreement." Validar crooned… And there was an odd sense to his words. Something that slipped into her ears, offered her a reprieve. A simple way to escape and spare her brother-
"Will you submit-?"
Morgan was trying to say something. But all she could hear was the sob in his voice.
Lucina's head dipped down. The muscles in her neck were stiff, almost protesting the motion… But in the end her face dipped under the water in a nod-
'Wait! Stop-!' She tried to fight against that moment of weakness.. But too late.
"Excellent." Validar sighed out. And at his words, a thousand needles seemed to dig into Lucina's skin. Her legs gave up all their strength, and she sank beneath the waves like they'd turned into weight. Lucina tried to move her limbs, tried to find breath to take her words back-
But nothing answered to her, except Validar. He slid off the rocks and followed her down, into the depths of the pools.
"There's a smart girl. Now let's see you take on a better form, more suited to the will of Grima." As Validar spoke up, he held something gleaming in his hands. Gemstone or spell book, Lucina couldn't tell; either way it gleamed with a malevolent light, and twisted her body.
"Worry not, I haven't forgotten your brother either." Behind her, Morgan lashed back and forth. She saw his legs melt together, replaced by a tail. And as they shifted, the seas seemed to boil around them and churn, becoming just as frenzied as Lucina's heart beat.
Through the ocean, came a rumble of thunder. A storm, feeding off the magic in the waters.
Morgan screamed, right as lightning lanced and crashed against the cave. The flash and noise spurred Lucina into moving.
Her hands lashed out, catching Validar across the face. With an angry shriek she crashed past him, her tail churning the waters as she clawed through the tunnel. Behind her, Morgan slipped free from his bindings, the rope sliding off his scales. The stone closed around her, spurring Lucina forward to the opening. The ocean waited for her on the other side, and Lucina wildly swam for the open waters.
She swam away from the pain and the terror… But she couldn't fully escape Validar's voice.
"Swim then… Seek out you mother, and make her a resident of the waters once again. And kill anyone who resists or refuses."
-o-o-o-
Chrom had a bare moment to breathe, as they dropped anchor. Just a moment to gather his strength, figure out how to face Walhart's ship, and-
"We're not the only ones here." Virion called down to them, and motioning towards the island. Chrom peered at the shores, and realized they were already dotted with ships, sheltering from the storm. They flew the colors of Ylisse, and in another moment Chrom realized the elegant flourishes and carvings; these had been the same noble ships that had gathered at Ylisstol's harbor. It felt like had been years since he'd last seen them.
A cry went up along the gathered ships, showing the fleet had caught sight of the Shepherd. They didn't brace for combat, instead having people spill from the holds and stand by the rails. All of them gesturing and pointing. All of them beckoning the Shepherd closer.
As their ship drew in close, Chrom picked out a few of their features… And Maribelle did more than that, with how she shoved herself to the front of the crew, and stared at the people lining the opposite ships. One of them, Chrom realized, stood apart from the rest, in her own little pocket of space.
"…Hello, aunt Themis." Maribelle said, caution tinging her voice. "It looks like you've been keeping your people alive."
"Barely." The woman at the head of the crowd said; her silks had lost some of their finery. Her skin had also gone red and rough in parts. But for all that, she still stood up straight. "We've been hoping from island to island, gathering resources where we can… And hoping the rumors we heard were true. That there was some other remnant of Ylisse that survived, and was fighting our enemies."
Themis nodded towards him. All while Chrom tried not to squirm. And tried not to feel like he'd somehow abandoned them. But he also couldn't overlook how threadbare the travelers looked. How there was a certain wariness in their eyes.
'I'm sorry.' He wanted to tell them. 'I'm sorry… And I'm afraid there might be even worse, if we don't do something.'
Maybe it was for the best Emmeryn and Lissa couldn't remember as much. He sooner would spare them the odd guilt.
"We heard rumors. But couldn't find those remnants. However… Since the Plegians and Valmese were kept busy and bloodied, too much to catch us, it seems like you've had the means to keep fighting. And it looks like most of the royal family is still intact." She looked over Chrom as she spoke, measuring him up. He tried to stand a little bit straighter, a little more confident… And reminded himself not to reach for Robin's hand.
"May I ask your plans?" Themis continued. "I've seen other ships with battle scars, and heard rumors that Walhart is dead, and the Plegians are dashed and broken."
"I-It's true." Chrom said. "And… I want to rebuild, once we've solved the storms." Even as he spoke, he found himself remembering. And remembering how Themis had been at the council meeting, watching everything with a cool eye. She still had that cool eye, gauging Chrom. "That's still our mission. It's what Emm tasked me for in the first place, and I intend to see that quest through."
Themis continued to measure him, consider his words. And Chrom only breathed easily when she at last dipped her head in a nod.
"We can't rebuild while the storms rage the way they do. We can only endure." She stated it matter of fact; at the very least she wasn't condemning Chrom's choices.
"My apologies for hesitating to offer help… But my fleet isn't made of soldiers. There's barely a man or woman among us who knows how to lift a sword." Themis glanced over the sparse ships in her company. For that matter, Chrom could see there wasn't much in their ranks. The noble galleys and merchant ships may have looked large and imposing… But there weren't any spell circles inscribed on their decks, and odds were the holds had more food than steel.
"But we CAN turn our hands towards food or repair… We have enough resources for that much." Chrom was all too aware of how the Shepherd had taken some bruises. And how the crew needed aid and meals alike.
"We'd be grateful for it." Chrom told her. "The sooner we can recover and sail, the better."
-o-o-o-
Frederick was finally breathing easier, and his flesh wasn't burning so much. He could almost walk the span of the ship with only the minimum amount of wobbling in his steps. And it meant he could scan both Shepherd and sea for any problems… Though he struggled to find any. A night of sleep had smoothed out several rough edges.
After weathering storm and battle, there was a certain weary determination among the crew to rest, recover, and eat. Frederick wasn't about to counter that; not with Chrom trying to step back into the role of leader.
'So where does that leave you?' He didn't entirely have an answer for that, beyond doing his best to monitor the ship, and scan for threats-
Or anomalies. Like the flash of scales in the water.
He started at the glimpse of scales, and rushed to the edge of the ship… But in another moment he realized the scales were the wrong color, a strange forest and pine green. The mermaid's hair was also many shades too dark to belong to Emmeryn or Lissa. But much like Emmeryn, there was a smoothness to the mermaid's movements, and a lack of violence to her posture. Instead she seemed to be desperately searching for something… Or someone, as she paused when she found Frederick and met his eyes.
"You are Frederick?" The mermaid said.
Frederick needed at least three confused blinks before he could find his voice.
"Y-yes. And… Forgive me, but I believe we've met before, but never exchanged pleasantries." He wasn't going to dwell on how they'd almost exchanged blows instead. Thankfully, the mermaid didn't bring that encounter up, either.
"I am… Say'ri. Formerly of Chon'sin." Frederick stared at that, and nearby Maribelle gave a disbelieving (and unlady like) sputter. "Human, once… And I hope to regain that form, eventually. Perhaps with the help of your prince."
Her words drew Maribelle over as well. The young woman was carrying a newly acquired tea cup with some form of brew in it; somehow the brew didn't slosh over, no matter how Maribelle's hands were shaking.
"I…" Maribelle narrowed her eyes as she watched Say'ri. "I've been doing some research. As well as speaking with Virion, and he told me about the Valmese coast." Say'ri swam closer at that, eyes fixed on Maribelle with a desperate look.
"Then… You know who I was?" Say'ri asked. By this time their conversation was drawing a small audience. Frederick almost raised his voice to summon Virion, but the lookout was several steps ahead of Frederick. He stepped out of the crowd, glancing over Say'ri.
"I have a notion. And I try not to forget about any fair and fierce maidens that graced my neighboring nations. I was of Valm once as well… And I've heard tales of Princess Say'ri. Peerless warrior of a seaborne kingdom, keeper of an ancient artifact… And staunch rebel against Walhart."
He paused, considering her.
"The portraits never did mention your scales, or your eyes-"
He cut off with a strangled noise, and Frederick noticed Maribelle swiftly withdrawing a foot. A foot that had likely trod on several toes.
"…The point being! If our Prince can gain a coat of scales, perhaps the Chon'sin are capable of such a feat as well. Perhaps thanks to those heirlooms they've been charged to guard?"
Say'ri didn't respond at once. But she also didn't shrink from the words, or the attention of the ship.
"That… Sounds right. I have faint memories of fighting; not just against Validar and his armies of Merfolk, but also another conqueror." She grimaced, but only for a moment. "And I've always felt I'm too stubborn to die. This explains a lot about me. And about the nightmares I've had…"
She trailed off, eyes going up above the Shepherd. Frederick forced himself to look up as well, even as he braced himself. A new snarl of dark clouds greeted him; and it almost felt like the storm had been gathering its strength as well, and was well prepared to lash down at them with a new fury.
-o-o-o-
Robin wasn't sure what she wanted to curse; herself for not better preparing, the gods for being so fickle, or the weather for continuing to grow blacker. It felt like they couldn't get a respite, not without a fresh storm rolling in to test and wear at them.
It felt almost like they were prey, harried by hunters and bled one squall at a time. And this storm promised to bleed them, with how it snarled.
The tempest lashed the islands, bearing down on the ship. A tension traveled through the crew, heads raising up and staring at the storm; like they could will the chaos off by watching it. But the storm refused to dissipate or sway from them.
"The last thing we need…" Phila murmured. The storm muted the silver of her hair, and rain began to sluice down and dampen her face. "I don't know if the ship will survive this… Whether it'll beach or get thrown into the rocks. Or…"
Her eyes flickered to the side of the ship, and the finned forms melting away and falling into the depths.
"Or if Emmeryn will be safe." Phila continued.
"She'll be fine; as will Lissa." Chrom tried to assure her. "They can swim beneath the storms. But as for us, and for the refugees…"
He trailed off, and Robin found herself cursing all the factors. She should have come up with a faster plan. Shouldn't have rested for even a moment. And if the ships were dashed on the rocks, if anyone drowned, it would be her fault-
'The storms are always your fault.'
The thought wasn't hers. Couldn't be hers, and it flashed in and out of her head before she could breathe. Leaving her with the beginnings of a head splitting plain.
'Calling to you. And you answer. Blood calls to blood-'
Robin froze on the deck. All thoughts of finding a safe passage or making a plan vanished. In their place something dug into her head and yanked at her hearing. It was that same, familiar voice from before… And there was something else that tugged at her memories.
'No… Not memories.'
It was a call from her dreams. An echo of a young girl with blue hair. And it stilled the ache in her head, and the strange growl in her thoughts.
Chrom yanked his head up, staring at the storm. He heard the same voice… And it seemed he recognized it. He was even mouthing one word as he listened.
'Lucina…' Robin placed the name. And something throbbed in her chest. Something pulled at her, made her ready to throw herself over the side of the ship-
"This is… Captain, how are we to survive this?" Frederick asked, silencing everything for just an instant. Chrom didn't seem to have the answer for that, and Robin felt panic lance through her brain as well. Lightning flashed on the horizon, illuminating the outline of Walhart's ship… And dancing among the masts of a few new ships, freshly pulled from the depths. There were still Risen ships on the horizon, hunting for them…
The lightning in the sky was joined by a sudden flare of magic burning across the sky. Maybe it was a signal flare for the other Risen ships. Maybe they were just toying with the Shepherd. Either way, it was clear that the Risen had found them… And were willing to brave the reefs.
'What do you do? How do you keep people from drowning? How do you keep the Risen from slicing through the refugees?' Her thoughts took their turn at hounding her. Robin narrowed her eyes, shaking her head… And amongst the chaos, Robin found herself glancing at the Emblem.
Chrom hadn't yet noticed the faint gleam coating the shield. It was more than just reflected light from lightning or flare. There was a fire in that was all its own. Robin found herself staring at it, almost entranced by the glow.
"Chrom… What is that?" He followed her gaze. With the way his eyes went wide, he didn't have an answer for her. But something in the Emblem seemed to stir, as they both put their eyes on it. The glow grew more focused, looking almost like a line of light… Or the needle of a compass. And no matter how Chrom shifted the Emblem, it unerringly pointed in one direction.
Amongst the chaos, Robin risked a closer look at the Emblem. The light swiveled towards another nearby island.
"Sorry. Virion, I'm going to need that spyglass." Her hand snaked out and caught Virion as he rushed by. The man only paused for a moment, before throwing the glass to her. Robin forced herself to ignore the chaos, peering through the glass.
If Carrion Island was a bleached set of picked over bones, the distant island was its opposite; the island was verdant, and even in the flickering lightning the peaks of the mountain shimmered. Looking almost like a gem. And almost like those peaks could hide a city amongst them.
The Emblem shivered in the storm, and caught the flashes of lightning; even through the savage storm, it was still giving off a beam… And still pointing towards the distant islands.
The one place they needed to get to, but at tremendous risk to the Shepherd. The storm would crack the Shepherd apart if they weren't careful-
And there was something else stirring underneath the ocean. They were going where they needed to, but at complete risk to the Shepherd.
"Risen, storms, and Mer…" Chrom muttered. He looked back to the refugees, frowning as he weighed the risks.
'We need to slow the Risen. Cripple them. And the only sure way to do that is catch them in a pincer.'
"You can't face an army like this, can you?" Chrom raised his voice over the growing storm. The lady of the ships caught his voice, and shook her head. All along the tattered ships, people fluttered nervously. Not sure what to do. Or how to survive the incoming blow.
"Chrom…" Robin found herself murmuring to him. It was the most she could manage, with the storm trying to tear her thoughts in two. "There… Might be a way we can get through this. Keep them safe. But it's going to involve…"
She trailed off, dropping her eyes to the water. She tried to keep the rest of her body from dropping over the rail, no matter how much the waves pulled at her.
'Not going without him.' She pulled her gaze back to Chrom, and saw him weighing the idea. He couldn't seem to settle on anything better, with how he gave a long sigh.
"Then… We'll buy you time to make repairs, or hide. We'll draw the Risen." Chrom said, a desperate look settling into his eyes. Robin felt something similar grasping her by the heart. Her body shivered in response, tired of being torn in two places.
"Appreciated but… How are you going to do that?" Lady Themis pressed.
"By striking where they won't expect." Chrom gave her a glance, extending a hand to her as he held the Emblem to his chest. His arm worked its way into the straps, and Robin found herself moving forward, ghosting her hands over the shield, all to make sure the Emblem was secure on his arm.
"I'm ready. If…" If he had the same idea as she did. And when Chrom spun towards the railings, Robin fell into step with him.
"Keep the Shepherd above the waves. Draw the Risen's attention, but hold them afar as much as you can. Avoid a direct clash if it's in your power." Chrom said to Frederick. "We'll find a way back to you, once we've solved this problem."
Frederick didn't get a chance to protest, before they'd both slipped over the edge. Cries went up from the other ships, but Robin didn't have much time to focus on them; the waves reached up to meet them, and the taste of spray made her neck already sting, the gills eager to bud along her neck.
Robin slipped into the water, and her body rippled as she plunged towards the sea floor. Her hand tightened around Chrom to keep her grounded, and to keep her from drifting away on the first current. The shield on his arm gleamed, demanding her focus, and keeping her thoughts or memories from scattering. Even as her legs melted into a long tail, Robin swam. Cutting clear from the Shepherd, dodging the rocks and the reefs.
And always moving towards the Risen. By the time the changes had settled along her skin, they were little more than a stone's throw from the ships.
Chrom helped her with that, pushing them both from one collection of ships… And towards something else, something more tattered an ominous looking. Chrom narrowed his eyes against the dead ship, tension moving through his arm.
"Slow it down, and we buy the Shepherd and Ylisse ships more time." Chrom echoed her thoughts. Robin let him slip away, to take the first strike on the Risen ships. There was no dwelling on his transformation. He had a sense of urgency moving through him… And something else flickering along his form.
Chrom had a burst of gold racing over both his arms; one gleam was courtesy of the shield, the other forming broad, blade like lines along his arm. Falchion stirred as Chrom stretched out his arm.
"Time to test out that blade." She caught Chrom whispering to himself. And the next moment, he swung his hand forward. A bright flash sprang from his palm and fingers, and bit the hull. It brought a massive rent with them, opening a wound along the ship. It slowed from the cut-
Chrom didn't swim out of the way fast enough however; the hull crashed against his shoulder and back, and he went limp from the impact. Chrom was already slumping… And blind to the arrows firing down, clawing through the water and trying to find marks along his skin.
Robin surged, grabbing Chrom and yanking him down beneath the ship, letting their enemy shield them. It was a lucky thing that the arrows hadn't drawn blood yet.
'No mingling blood and sea water.'
-o-o-o-
He tumbled through the water, only stopped short by something bumping into his back. The touch was oddly warm against his shoulders, and gave Chrom something to focus on, as his body and senses gave up on swimming.
"Still alive? Good; otherwise you would've chosen one of the more idiotic ways to die." Chrom vaguely recognized Tharja's voice.
"I'll live…" He groaned out. It was just taking him time to mend, and make his surroundings stop swimming. Until then he had to cling to Robin, so she could keep him floating upright.
"Is… The Shepherd out of danger yet?" Chrom rasped out. His senses all swam, threatening to leak out of his head.
"We slowed one of the ships… But we need to wound a few more." Robin told him. "But… I don't want the Shepherd undefended. Tharja, Henry… Can you shadow our ship? Make sure nothing cuts her down underwater?"
"I dunno…Sounds kind of boring considering what you're doing…" said Henry.
"Yes. Exactly. And after all that chaos, I long for boring right now." Tharja cut him off. "We'll do it. Besides, I don't want Miriel drowning until we've worked out some theories."
"…Thanks. I think." Chrom mumbled. His eyes cleared just enough to see Tharja dragging Henry away. He was protesting the entire time, up until Tharja muttered something in his ear. Chrom thought he caught the words "dancer girl" in them; either way, it had the effect of pulling Henry back towards the Shepherd.
The ocean heaved around them, and Chrom forced himself to look around once more, to refocus. The Shepherd was dancing at the edge of his vision, Tharja and Henry orbiting the ship. They were doing something, twisting the currents around them to keep the Risen at bay. And of the tattered ships, one was listing badly, wounded from Chrom's strike… But several more remained. Particularly the red and black ship, undaunted by the storms or the merfolk.
"Well, that takes care of the Shepherd…" Robin muttered. "But it's going to be a task to take care of those ships-"
She cut off and spun around, dragging Chrom with her. He picked out forms shifting through the ocean, lightning piercing the waves and picking out the scales on their bodies. Other mer. His arms tensed up, ready to fight. Robin gave a quick whisper to ease him.
"They're not enemies; look closer." His eyes cleared, and he saw familiar bands of green around their arms. Signs that they were part of Say'ri's band… And there was Say'ri herself, spear-heading her forces.
"Ylisseans!" She called out to them. "You don't fight alone!"
She swam closer to them.
"Though… Fighting ships is still a new territory for us. We could use orders. Some of mine still need to learn how to fight under the waves, as well."
There was a new face among the merfolk; someone Chrom had only seen once before. A figure with steely hair, still bound up into a topknot. His swimming pattern was reminiscent to how Chrom had struggled, when he first learned how to use his fins.
"A-are you-?" Chrom tried to ask him. Yen'fay shook his head at that; there was still a look of confusion in his eyes; something eerily similar to Emmeryn. Say'ri also swam carefully around him.
"My memories are… Muddled. Right now, I'll be grateful to simply be alive. And to be a blade for the leader of this band." A tight smile crossed his face. "It feels like I've sworn my sword to a better cause, at the very least."
Say'ri paused for a moment at that, and didn't quite meet the questioning look Chrom gave her.
"It felt right to… Save him, and bring him into the fold. Though I doubt I'd be able to manage as much without Emmeryn. Speaking of…"
"You are not fighting alone… And not with wounds still lingering on your skin." He knew that voice, and his thoughts began to clear as a gentle light flooded through him, and eased the ache in his head and back. Finally his vision stopped blurring around the corners, and he found his sister drifting before him. She gently took her hands from his face, nodding in satisfaction. "A better sight."
"Huh, though he really has a knack for bleeding, doesn't he." Came Lissa's voice, as she circled beneath them. She tilted her head as she watched Chrom. "Yeah, that sounds about right… Along with me not wanting you to take ALL the glory. So what do you want us to do?"
Chrom had to work, opening and closing his mouth several times before his voice would come.
"S-stay close to me?" He hoped he didn't sound TOO desperate, wanting to keep them near. "We've… It's been too long since-" Since he'd fought alongside Lissa; and since he'd encountered Emmeryn and been able to trade words with her. "I think… We need to find a way to turn those ships aside. Shape the currents-"
"I can manage that much. This magic… It has a note I can just hear." Emmeryn told them. Her eyes were half lidded, as she tilted her head and let the emerald fins framing her head fan out. Getting submerged had left Chrom disoriented, and the sounds faded in and out of his hearing… But the same clearly didn't apply to Emm.
She raised her voice, giving him a melody to key in on. She moved her arms in time to the rhythm, and the ocean seemed to sigh in response. A similar hum was settling in Chrom's bones, and he had the feeling Emm was drawing magic from all of them. Lissa seemed sensitive to the sounds as well; her own voice wavered, sounded a little more hesitant and unused to calling on such magic.
Whatever she was calling on, it augmented Tharja and Henry's distant work. The currents grew stronger… And the wounded Risen ship was pulled under the waves. Say'ri's band swarmed towards it, weapons at the ready, and swept over the ship.
'One down… And…' And another was quickly getting crippled, both by long-range fire from the Shepherd, and Emmeryn's efforts. But that still left them with largest ship of the lot; it still cut the waves, and there seemed to be a magic driving it forward and through the song.
And Say'ri didn't care for the sight of it, with how she narrowed her eyes on the craft. There was murder in her gaze, as she growled out,
"…I'll deal with Walhart."
