The room was sober as their leadership listened to the intelligence report. Much to Robin's chagrin, this now included him somehow. While some men might kill to have his career path, he was not exactly thrilled to be thrust into this position with little more than some natural ability and mysterious knowledge.

"And you're certain?" Basillio asked his spy after he finished.

"Yes. I heard King Gangrel confirm that latter part myself."

"Very well. You're excused."

"Sire."

"Looks like you were right, Robin," Flavia muttered as she thought, "He wanted us here."

"Now, we just have to save her," Chrom nodded, "You've gotten us this far, Robin. I have faith that by this time tomorrow, we'll be swapping stories with Emm on the way home."

"No pressure," The tactician grimaced, "Though, I do have an idea now that we have better intel. Flavia, your team will stay on target. Basillio, I have something else in mind for you…"

Robin left the meeting with a lot on his mind. A lot had been thrust upon him, but he was determined to succeed. He was terrified that something might go wrong though. He was juggling lives here, and he hated it. Still, it was his responsibility as tactician. He would not shirk it.

"Robin!"

And yet his day suddenly brightened, "Lucina. Are you all prepared for the final push?"

"Actually, that was what I wanted to speak with you about."

"Oh?" Robin raised a brow and stopped in place, "Having doubts?"

"No, it's not that. I would like to go on the mission to stop the assassination."

"What?" The request took Robin off guard, "How do you even know about that?"

"Preparations are already being made. That, and I have good hearing, remember?"

"Eavesdropping then," Robin ran a hand through his hair. In theory, the operation should be safer since they would be drawing Gangrel's attention. Still, it meant he could not keep an eye on her, "Alright. I'll grant your request on one condition."

"And what would that be?"

"You come back alive."

"I could say the same to you, but very well, you have my word."

Despite his misgivings, Robin nodded, "Then I'll prepare the transfer. Just…be safe out there."

"You as well. Be careful without me there to save you from yourself."

This earned a chuckle, "As I said, I've no desire to die horribly."

"Good. Then I expect to see you on the other side."

Lucina adjusted the quiver on her back as she snuck along with Flavia's men. The Khan had asked if she could shoot. When Lucina had no answer, she handed her a bow and told her to aim for a target. Turned out, Lucina could shoot.

The bluenette kept asking herself why she had volunteered for this. Especially when she was so concerned about what Robin might do on his own, but she felt this mission was important. She wanted to be a part of it, and while she was no assassin, she was light footed and good at not being detected if she wished it.

Her strength did not hurt their progress either. They were able to manage quite quickly with her aid. They were making good time. All they had to do was stop the execution. Basillio would handle the rest. All the same, she had especially been on edge since they neared the capital.

That skull. That dreadful skull. Of all the senses of familiarity, that one produced the most powerful of them all. It made her feel abject terror. Ever since she entered the castle she could not shake a sense of malevolence. She could have sworn she was being watched, but anytime she made to look, she saw nothing. It was like chasing phantoms.

Lucina was able to focus on the mission for the most part though. For all her fear, she was good at suppressing it. Eventually, gloomy corridors gave way to bright sunlight. From their vantage point, they could see the ledge where Emmeryn was to be executed.

"Alright," Flavia nodded to her sniper, "Once they give the signal, you shoot. I'm afraid the rest is up to the oaf. Lucina, start taking out archers."

Lucina swallowed. She did not like being down there to help, but she would do her part. Getting much closer could alert them. There was no way they could make it to the ledge from the castle without them killing the Exalt.

From the castle being the key part.

"Stay safe, Robin."

"Chrom, don't," Robin stopped the prince from charging ahead as he saw the castle gates. Wide open and inviting them in. Gangel was not being subtle.

It took a great deal of restraint, but Chrom did relent and opted not to charge to his potential death. At least that part of the plan was working. Flavia's team had bought them time, and they were handling the trap fairly well on the ground. Despite the sand, they were proving more than a match for the Plegian troops. When the wyvern squads arrived, Robin was ready for them.

"Cut them down!"

Almost as soon as they had arrived, the wyverns had their ranks decimated by a focused barrage. Any that made it through were quickly knocked out of the sky by Sumia and Cordelia.

Robin lowered his hand, the light blue glow of wind magic dissipating. He preferred lightning himself, but he could not deny the utility of wind.

"They're wyverns are down, give the signal," Chrom gave the order and Robin fired a simple fire spell into the air. Shortly after, the sound of wings on the air could be heard, but they were no wyverns.

"Your Grace!" Phila bright her mount to bear at the ledge where the Exalt was to be executed, "We must hurry."

"Phila, but how?" Then it clicked. She had underestimated her brother's tactician. He knew Gangrel was expecting them to waltz into a trap. He did not expect them to be the decoy. Gangrel could not fathom a royal doing something like that. It was not in his nature.

"We can discuss that later! For now-"

"Ahhhhh!"

The battlefield seemed to slow to a halt as one of the freed pegasus knights fell to her death after her mount had been shot out of the sky. It did not take long to find the source of the arrow.

"Why, did an army of corpses just appear?" Gangrel cackled loud enough for Chrom to hear. Not just him, but Lucina heard as well. She knocked her bow and aimed for him, but Flavia stopped her. Shaking her head, she looked at the other undead archers. Emmeryn would be dead before they could take out all of them.

"Let's rid ourselves of these pests then, shall we?" With a snap of his fingers, the risen let their arrows fly, and with them, they decimated most of what was left of the pegasus knights.

"No!" Emmeryn reached out as the pegasus knights were almost entirely wiped out. Emmeryn watched as her faithful knights fell to their deaths, the fall too great for them, but she had to fight the abject terror she felt. It would serve only to help Gangrel.

"Ah, I do think that's an improvement," Gangrel leered at Chrom with utter satisfaction, "Archers, if I give the word, I want you to turn the Exalt into the world's shiniest pin cushion!"

With a cackle, the Mad King stepped down into the courtyard, "So, who wants the honor of killing the Exalt?" Gangrel scowled at the assembled Shepherds, "What's the matter? Not so gung ho now, are you!?"

"I'll kill you," Chrom growled through gritted teeth, his hand clutching Falchion's hilt so hard that it started to groan under the strain.

"Go ahead!" Gangrel threw his arms out, "I welcome it! Just know that you'll be responsible for dear old sister's gruesome demise. That is, unless you give me the Fire Emblem. Then you could all walk away."

Chrom flinched. He was thinking about it. Robin grimaced. He had nothing. There was nothing they could do with Emmeryn threatened from below. He had been counting on the choke point where Flavia's team could keep her safe. He thought they had taken care of their archers. They had.

"You can't trust him," Robin spoke through gritted teeth, "You cannot give him the Emblem. Even if you do, he'll kill her anyway."

"I know that," Chrom glanced back to the ledge, "But she's my sister…"

"I will have your answer, boy," Gangrel snarled at them. Despite a less than threatening stature, the man had the control. As such, he cast an imposing figure.

"Alright!" Chrom shouted, putting his hands up, "You win. Let her go, and you can have the hunk of metal."

"Now, that's more like it! Give it to me, now!"

"Very-"

"Enough!" The king and prince stopped to look up to where Emmeryn was looking down on them. Her usually soft voice carried on the desert wind as she looked to Gangrel.

"King Gangrel, is there no hope that you will end this madness?"

"I think not," The Mad King drolled, "Not until you are dead at my feet or someone gives me the Emblem!"

"I see…" She spoke so quietly that no one could hear, save Lucina who was still waiting for the clearance to shoot. "So be it. People of Plegia, hear my words! War will only bring you more suffering, more pain, more death. It will not heal your wounds. If I could take back Ylisse's past treacheries, I would, but I cannot."

"Emm," Chrom's face carried sympathy even if his posture was ready to fly at a moment's notice.

"Our peoples have their differences, but war need not be our only recourse. Know the power of selfless acts. A few small acts can grow and change the world. Remember that, and do what you must…as I will do now."

Robin's eyes went wide when he realized what she meant, and to his credit, Chrom was only a fraction of a second behind in rushing off. Gangrel did not try to stop him though. He was too busy laughing.

Emmeryn looked out over the stunned crowd. No reaction. She wondered if she was wrong. She then saw Chrom running after her as she walked to the ledge and smiled. He could never make this choice. For all his strength, he had a hard time letting go. It was why she had to make this decision for him, and for their people.

As the Exalt stepped off, she closed her eyes. It was some torch she was passing Chrom, but she believed he could lead their people. Perhaps better than she could given time. They were in good hands. He just had a little growing to do, but they were all human.

Chrom skid to his knees and forced himself to look away as a sick thud assaulted his senses. Chrom felt like he might throw up. Then everything came rushing back as Chrom stood in a rage hearing a demented laughter, "I'll kill you, Gangrel!"

"Hahahaha! Do your worst!"

In a moment, battle erupted again as Chrom charged recklessly into the heart of the Risen. Unfortunately, reinforcements were on the way, and they had a head start due to the Shepherds being essentially held hostage.

Robin took a deep breath before looking out with determination. If someone had to talk some sense into Chrom, might as well be him. With one deft motion, he fired as strong a wind spell as he could manage safely at the sandy stone beneath him. The dust up gave him some cover while he used the momentum to push himself forward.

His entrance might have been flashy, but he was still not as fast or agile as Chrom. He took out a few risen, but he was unable to avoid taking an arrow to his shoulder. It hurt, but he was pretty sure it missed being a critical injury so he pressed onward.

"Robin!" Lucina loosed an arrow.

"What are you doing?" Flavia grabbed the bow, "Shooting into that is asking for friendly fire. We need to go anyway."

"But what about the others?" Lucina glanced to where the Shepherds were fighting for their lives.

"The Plegians will be here any minute. We need to go! Now, move!"

Lucina had half a mind to stay, but she knew she would be no good to them dead. Everything Flavia said was true. She just felt so helpless. She hated feeling helpless.

Once they were on their way, a voice spoke from a window in the castle as a robed figure walked back into the shadows of the interior, "Interesting."

Chrom was on a warpath. Gangrel was back up on the porch of the castle, mocking him, but Chrom was on a mission to kill him. Everything else was merely noise. All he wanted was that man drowning in a pool of his own blood.

So, when someone grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, he was a few milliseconds from impaling them. Fortunately, he recognized Robin before that happened.

Robin did not back off though, instead he grabbed the prince by his collar, nostrils flared, "Sound a retreat."

"Retreat? He murdered my sister!"

"Look around!" Robin yelled making even the grief stricken Chrom pause as he had never heard Robin raise his voice like that, "He'll murder a lot more than your sister if we stay any longer!"

Chrom looked back to his Shepherds. His loyal Shepherds as they fought against increasingly fierce reinforcements. Lissa was trying to keep people patched up along with Maribelle. Frederick was acting as a shield, but his usually pristine armor was dented and dirty. Sumia…Sumia looked so ragged and tired. She kept looking over at him. This time their eyes met.

Then he finally noticed the shape Robin was in. He was bleeding. He had at least two arrows sticking out of him, and he was pale. Deathly pale, but that did not hinder the furry etched on his face.

"Alright," Chrom swallowed and nodded, "Shepherds! Fall back!"

"Good," Robin let go of his collar, "Now let's-ngh," Robin fell to a knee forcing Chrom to help him up.

"Easy, friend. You've done enough."

Chrom half carried Robin back to the others as Basillio and his team broke a hole in the enemy line.

"Come on!" The khan hollered at them and Frederick, seeing Robin's condition, came to help Chrom carry the tactician as he fluttered in and out of consciousness. Even once they escaped the capital, Chrom bore a hard expression. One of utter failure and defeat.

Lucina was tired and miserable once she finally met back up with the Shepherds. Their group had met less resistance, but it had still been a long and arduous flight. More than anything, she was worrying herself sick.

As such, she did not stop for rest or pleasantries, not that there was time for the former. She immediately set out to find Robin. At first, people hesitated to tell her where he was, but she was insistent. Eventually they relented.

She was led over to where Stahl was walking beside his mount with a battered and bloodied Robin positioned on the horse. Maribelle was looking after him, but one look told her he was in bad shape.

"He took several hits," Maribelle informed gently, "We've done what we could, but until we're somewhere more stable, we can't remove the arrows."

Lucina frowned and looked at the arrows jutting out of Robin's body unnaturally. He had been lucky. No vital organs or arteries hit. Still, he had lost a lot of blood. Lucina thought back to Flavia's words. Friendly fire. The air had been rife with sand. Could…could one of those arrows be hers?

"I should have been with him. I thought I was doing something important, but I couldn't change anything. Not really, and he nearly got himself killed without me there."

"Hush now," Maribelle replied sternly, "What he did, he did for all of us. Someone needed to talk sense into the prince, grief stricken or not. Furthermore, it was his decision to make, reckless as it was. You cannot hold yourself responsible for his actions."

"But…" But what if I did that to him?

"You can ask him yourself when he wakes up. For now, self pity will get you nowhere."

"I-"

"Plegians spotted!" Cordelia shouted as she landed backed by the crackle of thunder. A storm was approaching.

Chrom glared at the general who came to meet them. Falchion was already drawn.

"Please," The general spoke softly, "I do not wish to fight. Surrender, and I will do my best to protect you."

"Protect us?" Chrom glared, "Protect us? Like how you protected my sister? I don't think we need anymore of your protection! We'll take our chances weapons in hand, thank you."

"You are right to be angry," The older man spoke as the rain began to fall, "But unfortunately, I have my orders. I cannot simply disobey them."

"Then I hope you're ready to pay in blood."

"I'm afraid that is how the die have fallen. We shall at least try to give an honorable end."

Chrom merely snarled before dashing off. With Robin and Chrom out of the picture, leadership fell to Frederick. Fortunately, his abilities were more than sufficient for an enemy who did not particularly want to fight.

Lucina stayed near Robin, guarding him from any further injury. However, the carnage was clear to see. As rain turned the battlefield into a muddy mire, so did rage turn their leader into a bloodthirsty berserker.

No one else really needed to fight. It got to the point where the main objective was keeping up with Chrom and making sure he did not get himself hurt. A task easier said than done in that mire. Sumia kept up with her pegasus, but most of the others were a few paces behind.

Seeing the carnage, Mustafa took to the field personally hoping to at least spare his men. He had little hope of actually besting the prince, but he hoped to appease to some sense of mercy.

"Come to face me yourself?" Chrom snarled as Falchion hung almost limply at his side, covered in rain, mud, and blood, "Fine. Saves me the effort."

"I cannot let you pass. I am bound to try and stop you. I just ask that you spare my men if you defeat me."

"Spare them?" Chrom's nostrils flared as he roared toward the general, "Like you spared my sister? Like you were sparing us? Your king wants us all dead!"

"I know! Believe me, I know, but not all of us share his views."

"Yet you serve that animal!" Chrom's Falchion nearly tore through Mustafa's ax in one swing.

"Ay, lad," The General proved to not be a pushover as he pushed back, "Some of us have no choice. Some have loyalty to others besides Gangrel, but we are not all monsters."

"There's always a choice!" Chrom surprised the Plegian by headbutting him squarely in the forehead, knocking the man to the mud, "Get up!"

The general struggled to his feet, and before he could even right his stance, Chrom clave his ax head from its shaft. Chrom then followed it up with a punch to the general's jaw. Then another, and another. With a hit that likely dislocated the man's jaw, Chrom put him out of commission and stood over him with Falchion drawn and fury in his eyes.

"Please…spare…my men…" Mustafa coughed up blood, but Chrom saw only someone who had taken his sister and he raised the ancient blade to end what he saw as a murderer.

"Chrom!" The prince only stopped mid stab when someone caught his arm. He pushed the person back, but he saw that it was Sumia. Covered in muck and looking at him fearfully, Chrom dropped his sword.

"Sumia…I…I didn't…"

"It's okay," The brunette forced herself to be brave, "You won. Let's just get out of here."

"I…alright," Chrom stooped down and grabbed the filthy Falchion, and, sparing one last glance at the general, walked over toward their escape caravan.

Leaving the Midmire behind, little was said. Lucina helped load Robin into a wagon having missed most of the fighting, but she was made to wait outside while Maribelle got to work.

It was an agonizing wait, and Lucina moved as soon as the blonde made her way out of the wagon.

"How is he?"

"He'll live," Maribelle discarded her ruined gloves, "But he lost a lot of blood. It will take time for him to awake."

"Can I see him?"

The noblewoman gave her a look over before sighing, "Yes, I suppose so. Just be careful his wounds are freshly healed and raw."

"I will, thank you."

Lucina climbed into the wagon and carefully sat next to Robin's unconscious form. She furrowed her brows as she took in the sight. His shirt was dirty and bloodied. She saw his coat in the corner, likewise stained with blood.

"I'm so sorry, Robin. I'm so, so sorry."

Back at the Feroxi Arena which the Ylisseans were quickly learning was more their seat of power than anywhere else as a mega structure built between the two nations, the Shepherds licked their wounds.

In one particularly somber room, a particular bluenette had refused to leave Robin's side. One attempt to force her to get some rest nearly turned violent, and since then, none had disturbed her save to bring food and water.

By the second day, fortunately, the tactician began to stir. Lucina was almost up immediately and checking on him.

"Nngh, Lucina," Robin covered his eyes, "I take it by how sore I am, that wasn't a dream."

"Sadly not," Lucina frowned as she grabbed a water flask, "Here, drink."

After taking a swig, Robin looked to her companion, "Wow, you look awful."

"Thanks," Lucina made an attempt to smile, but it fell flat.

"How long was I out?"

"About two days. You lost a lot of blood."

The tactician nodded, "You've been here the whole time, haven't you?"

"I…have," Lucina blushed.

"There are worse things to wake up to. How is everyone? Did we lose anyone else?"

Lucina shook her head, "No, though we almost lost you."

"Sorry," Robin at least had the decency to apologize, "If he didn't sound the retreat, almost everyone would have stayed and died fighting. It would have been pointless."

"I know, I just…"

"What?" Robin stared her down, "What's wrong?"

"Robin…when everything happened, I fired into the cloud. I…I wanted to help, but Flavia stopped me after one arrow saying how I could easily hit a friend. Then I saw you and…"

"Enough," Robin put a hand up, "Friendly fire happens in war. Besides, we have no proof you hit me. I'd like to think you're a better shot than that. Even with one eye."

"But-"

"No 'buts.' Worrying about it won't change anything, and I'm alive. Right now, we need to assess the situation."

Lucina took a breath before pushing Robin back down on the bed, "No, you need to rest. You can get back to work in the morning."

Robin weighed the odds and decided this was a battle he could not win. He could try for a concession though.

"Fine, but only if you get some rest too. Have you even applied any salve to your eye since we got here?"

"Er, no, but…okay, but only if you promise to stay put."

"Not like I could outrun you right now. You have my word."

"I'll hold you to it," Lucina got up to leave, but as she was about to leave, Robin stopped her.

"Thank you. For caring so much, and…for staying with me."

Lucina smiled back, more genuine this time, "You're very welcome."

Lucina pulled her eyepatch off as she closed the door behind her. It had been a while since she applied her medicine, but, honestly, it was feeling much better. Lucina peaked into a mirror. In fact, the swelling had gone down dramatically.

Stepping up to the mirror, Lucina leaned on the desk and decided to see if she could open it. It was a bit crusty and sore, but with some effort, she was finally able to pry it open and look herself in both eyes.

"Wha-"

Lucina backed away from the mirror with hands over her mouth at what stared back at her. She quickly put the eyepatch back on and caught her breath. That symbol…

"Who am I?"

A/N: Whew another one out.

Also, I may be playing some other FEs I hadn't in a while. May play Fates again as well as Sacred Stones.