Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.
Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Exploitive, Swordmaster, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage, Dragoon.
Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + Evil to Good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, Magician, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Animal Whisperer, Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, D&D magic, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Teleporting, Crippled, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling, Shapeshifter.
Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem, Car, Incubus, National Personification, Gravity Magic, Kraken, Zora, Kirby, Moon, Quadruplets, Unnoticed, Inventor, Bastilio's Kid, Treasure Hunter, Future, Mind-Swapping, Criminal, Hunter/Tracker, Biker, Gigantic Sword, Miracle, Medium, Warlord, Greater Good, Acrobat, Mother of Chrom, Soul Stealer, Mid War Memory Loss, Reverse Memory Loss, Sentient Item, Necron, ARMS, Naga's bride, Titan Sinkhole, Squire, Anti-Magic, Tomesmith, Dimensional Traveler, Falchion, Unbreakable Shield, Many Robins, Muscle, Fearful Knight, Narcoleptic, Big Eater.
I'm considering stripping away the line between Standard and Unlikely ideas at this point, because I've been pulling more from Unlikely than Standard lately. I'll keep them seperate for now, but I think the distinction might have to go.
So this is Deadlord Robin, suggested by SirHaloFan. I'm taking some liberties with how Deadlords work, as you've probably come to expect from me. This is a weird one.
Going through a portal was stressful enough for Nah. Leaving her old world behind and being separated from her friends? That sucked.
Waking up in a cell with a Risen playing a badly-tuned violin in the corner didn't exactly reassure her when she finally came to consciousness.
"Oh good. You're awake." An unfamiliar voice says. Nah can't pinpoint where it's coming from. It's a directionless sound that's everywhere and nowhere at once. It's not coming from the Risen. The Risen hasn't stopped playing. The voice is male, calm, and monotone. "You know, it's been a long time since you dropped by to see me. I was starting to think I'd been forgotten."
"What? Who are you? Where is this?"
"Imagine my surprise when one of my sentinels found you lying outside in the grass, just waiting to be let inside." The voice continues like Nah hadn't spoken. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, I am quite busy, but I can always make time for an old friend."
Nah carefully scrutinizes her person and her cell, searching for anything useful. She still has her clothes, but her dragonstone and concoction are gone. The room is bare except for the bed, a table with a glass of water and some food, and the violin-playing Risen dressed in half-rotten minstrel garb.
She is hungry and thirsty, but she's not sure she trusts anything provided by this voice.
"Do make sure you're prepared before we start though." The voice says. "Eat, drink, sleep. I can wait. I have the time."
"Didn't he just say he was quite busy?" Nah thinks. She cautiously approaches the table and picks up a slab of cheese. It's not moldy or anything, but that looks dust coming off it.
"Do pardon if the food and water tastes off." The voice says, still in monotone. "It has been in storage for a while, but the preservation spell ensures it is edible. However, if you feel any cramps, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, signs of parasites, or experience sudden death or undeath, please inform me of such so I can recheck that the preservation spells are functioning properly."
Well that's reassuring.
"In addition, based on your previous feedback, I have provided entertainment to keep you emotionally stable before we begin." The voice drones. "It is inconvenient to have guests having emotional breakdowns before the tests. Try to contain yourself until after the tests have concluded, at which point parchment and ink will be offered for you to write a letter of grievance for study and consideration."
Excuse her, what? What previous feedback? What in Naga's name is this man talking about? How does a violin-playing Risen help with emotional stability in any way?
Still, Nah is hungry, so she takes a single tentative bite out of the cheese. When it doesn't make her want to vomit, she scarfs it down. The same goes for the water. It's stale, but edible.
She would consider getting some sleep it if weren't for the stupid Risen, so instead she decides she just wants to get on with whatever this is. She doesn't see a way out of her cell, so at least for now she has to play along.
Walking to the cell door seems to clue the voice in that she's ready. "Are you prepared, subject?"
"As I'll ever be." Nah responds dryly. "And the name is Nah."
"Please wait for the door to open, Nah, then proceed down the hallway to the first test." The voice drones.
There's a pause, and then the cell door silently swings open, clearly by magic, revealing a stone hallway with a door at the end. Nah tentatively walks down to the door, which also magically swings open in front of her to reveal a dark room which the lantern light around her doesn't penetrate.
Nah strides into the room with as much confidence as she can muster. The door swings shut behind her, sealing her in darkness for a few seconds.
Lanterns suddenly spring to life with blue light, revealing the room around her. There's a single, large stone brick laying in the center of the room, and various other heavy objects around the room.
"Commencing test on physical lifting strength of human form manaketes." The voice says. "Please, assume proper lifting position and attempt to lift the stone."
Proper lifting position? What does that mean? Why does this guy want her to lift rocks anyways? Why is her exact lifting capacity at all relevant to him?
Still, she bends down and grabs the stone. It's not all that heavy. It's only brick-sized. She can lift it with one hand easily.
"Successful lift acknowledged." The voice says. "Please place the brick back on the floor, and repeat the process with the barrel."
And so the process repeats several times as the voice has her lift the objects in the room. Each object is heavier than the last, from brick to barrel to bag of dirt to a large log and more.
Nah eventually can't carry anymore when she's asked to pick up a boulder half her height. She's surprised that she can get it off the ground for even a few seconds, apparently she's a lot stronger than she expected, but there's no way she's going to be able to heft it more than a few centimeters, much less for any length of time.
The voice, as usual, doesn't seem delighted or disappointed one way or another. It notes her inability in a flat tone, has a Risen bring in some water and food for her, and after she's done it asks her to move on to the next room.
"Your lifting strength is lower than average." The voice notes as she walks down the hall. "Perhaps it has to do with your short stature this time. Nah is shorter than other subjects."
"Why are you talking about me in the third person?" Nah asks. "I'm right here!"
"Of course you are. The tests could not be conducted if you were not here." The voice agrees, completely missing her point. The voice finally has the barest bit of inflection in it, rather than just being monotone. "Do you like green?"
Nah blinks in bafflement. "What?"
"Green, the colour. A mixture of both blue and yellow. The colour of grass, some mosses, and occasionally vomit."
Those are not the first three examples Nah would have used for green. Except grass, of course. "I know what the colour green is."
"Do you like green?"
"I… sure."
"Good." The voice says. "I have some preliminary evidence that suggests people who like the colour green tend to think in green. The next test involves testing your leg strength."
What? He can't just end on a complete non-sequitur like that!
The next room has nothing to do with the colour green. It involves asking her to shove various objects using only her legs, though she is allowed to use the walls of the chamber to sit against so she can brace herself.
Nah does much better with average leg strength than arm strength, and she thinks she knows why. They did a lot of walking in the future, so that's a lot of work for her legs.
"As you are a divine being, leg strength is irrelevant." The voice says. "But I would be remiss not to test it anyhow."
"What does me being a divine being have to do with anything?" Nah asks. "Actually, why am I a divine being at all?"
"Divine beings do not need limbs." The voice says like that's some sort of fact. "But arm strength is still more relevant."
"I happen to need my arms and legs thank you very much!"
"Of course you do." The voice agrees. "But you don't."
"Why do you keep contradicting yourself!?" Nah shouts.
"I don't. I'm simply stating facts." The voice responds calmly. "Please proceed to the next test."
The next few tests are much the same, testing a variety of her physical abilities. The voice's comments don't make any more sense as time goes on.
"What's your name anyways?" Nah asks inbetween two of the chambers. "Can I at least know who's putting me through the wringer?"
"How rude of you," the voice responds, "to have forgotten me. Though you did come to visit I suppose. I would have thought someone of my prestige was hard to ignore."
"Just get on with it…"
"You have become much more derisive since last time." The voice notes. "I am Robin Vastatio, former grand tactician of the Plegian army, responsible for repelling the Feroxi savages in the second Plegia-Ferox war, and he who secured the borders of Titan Sinkhole and Dead Swamp. Now I serve as an analyst for the Deadlords, to compile information about our probable enemies so that when we are put to task, we can act efficiently."
"You serve the deadlords?"
"I am a deadlord." Robin says.
This person is far older than Nah expected him to be. She thought he was maybe eighty, but the second Plegia-Ferox war was more than four centuries ago, meaning he's well over four-hundred years old.
"If you see Mus, do tell him to visit. I have valuable information on a new potential make of armor." Robin says. "The study of dragon scales has been very informative."
"So he's studied manaketes before." Nah notes.
"Unfortunately dragon scales are not metal, and they cannot be turned into nails." Robin adds. "Please continue to the next room."
Nah does so, not really having a choice in the matter. She's surprised when she enters the next room to see that it's completely barren aside from her dragonstone, which is sitting innocuously in the center of the room.
"These next tests involve your dragon form." Robin drones. "Please refrain from loud roaring, destruction of property, or excessive eating of cheese or Risen."
At this point Nah isn't sure if that's something that has actually happened, or if Robin is just crazy. Either way, she snatches her dragonstone off the floor and hugs it tight. Finally, she might have a way out of here. She just needs an opportunity.
"Please transform and revert ten times, as quickly as you can." Robin says. "You are permitted one warm-up transformation before we begin counting."
Nah happily takes that transformation. Her confidence comes rushing back as she feels the magic filling her body. She feels powerful again; no longer a rat in a maze but instead a caged tiger, just waiting for a moment of weakness.
She still needs to play along for now. Nah untransforms and prepares to repeat the process rapidly. She's never tried transforming and reverting rapidly, so this will be new to her.
The experience is… unpleasant. Sickening almost. The constant flood and stripping of mana from her body, not to mention the rapid changes of her body, makes her stomach lurch and head throb.
She takes a moment to sit on the floor with her head between her knees after she's done so her stomach can settle. She's not doing that again if she can avoid it.
"Both your average transformation time and total time to do ten transformations was faster than average." Robin notes. "I can't tell if you've improved, or if your other bodies were holding you back in this regard. I'm tempted to say the latter."
Other bodies? What exactly does he think she is, some sort of shapeshifter or parasitic body-hopper? Are those even a thing? Maybe he's mistaking her for some weird exotic creature from the Sinkhole or the Swamp.
Most of the specialized modifications to the Risen in the future were based on things from Plegia's exotic locations actually. It's not something Nah likes to remember. They had some nasty surprises when running into new types of Risen for the first time. Learning that giant Risen were a thing was not fun. The ones that exploded into toxic spores when they died were awful as well.
It was even less fun when whoever was modifying the Risen learned how to make them spit spores rather than just exploding upon death. But that's a story for another time… or never, because she never wants to think about spore-spitting Risen again.
The next few tests are interesting. Robin wants to test how much her dragon form can carry, except her dragon form doesn't exactly have an easy way to get things on her back. That's why the next room has platforms with various items on it, along with a special harness and Risen to help attach and carry things.
This is clearly a process Robin has refined over time. This is too well thought out to be just a first or second time.
"Please refrain from collapsing, agonized spasms, or sudden urges to summersault." Robin drones. "It is time-consuming to make stone blocks this large."
"Don't be too concerned for my safety." Nah grumbles.
"I won't."
"That was sarcasm."
"I know. I don't need to be concerned. Nah might not be fine, but you will." Robin says. "If it makes you feel better, I have healers on standby."
It almost feels like he isn't talking to her, but yet he clearly hears what she's saying.
No matter how many tests she does, she never sees a way out. There's no windows and no extra doors to suggest a splitting path. It's just a single string of rooms which Robin is leading her through.
Eventually Nah decides she's had enough of the tests. All she's doing is wearing herself out, and she hasn't seen an obvious way out. She's not going to deal with these tests only to remain in the hands of this weird deadlord at the end of the day. She might as well fight back now when she has the energy rather than later.
So the next time she enters a room and transforms, she doesn't strike the targets like Robin instructs. Instead she belts out dragonfire at the next door, does a tight loop, and dives down the hallway.
Nah blasts through the next several doors effortlessly, ignoring Robin saying: "It takes time to replace those doors you know. We go through this every time but you never listen."
Nah keeps blasting through doors, praying to find something that looks like a way out. None of the Risen in the rooms seem particularly keen on fighting her. In fact they've all moved out of her way by the time she gets to their rooms.
Eventually she bursts into a much larger stone room about the size of a large dining hall. There is in fact a large table, and there is the beginnings of a feast laid out on a green tablecloth. There are also no Risen there, and instead a tall, lanky, purple-skinned man with red eyes and white hair, dressed in a heavy black and purple cloak with obvious grimleal markings stands at the far end of the table. Most of his body is hidden by the cloak, making only the glowing red eyes and a bit of the face visible to Nah.
"I don't know why you keep coming back just to break my things." The figure, Robin, says in a calm tone. "And I even went through the trouble of organizing a reward this time, just like you suggested."
"Look buddy, I don't know who you are, and I don't know why you think I know who you are!" Nah shouts. "I've never heard of you, I've never spoken to you, and I've never given you suggestions before!"
"Of course you haven't, but you have."
"What doesn't make any sense!" Nah snaps. "Now let me out, or I'm going to start breaking even more things!"
"I can't exactly allow you to leave." Robin says. "I wouldn't be doing my job very well then, would I?"
"So a fight then!" Nah shouts. She hacks dragonfire at him, hoping that he's all talk and no bite.
That's unfortunately not the case. Robin sways out of the way of her attack without much effort. "I would rather not. A fight is quite a waste of both our energy."
"Then let's just say I won and you let me go."
"That is not acceptable either."
"Then we're fighting!" Nah punctates her words with another ball of dragonfire, which Robin also dodges.
"I do not wish you to become injured."
"Then let me go!"
"Naga, why do you always make this so difficult?" Robin whispers. He raises his arms, not bothering with a tome, and a pair of large shadow hands emerge from his cloak to hover in the air between the two of them. "Please try not to struggle too much."
This is certainly a different type of fight than Nah is used to. Having the shadow hands hovering in the way providing a constant wall to any attack she might try is new and extremely frustrating. She's trying to win a fight, and Robin is just playing catch with dragonfire.
"Just. Let. Me. Go!"
"Please calm yourself. We have not finished testing, and it would not do to cause yourself undue stress which may hamper your future performance."
"I don't want to test, I want to leave!"
Robin blocks another round of shots with the shadow hands. "And yet you keep coming back."
"I didn't come back! Like I said, I've never been here before!"
"You can't fool me. I know how you work." Robin says. "You might have different names and different forms, but I see you Naga. You wouldn't keep coming back unless you knew I was here."
He thinks she's Naga? So he is crazy!
"I'm sorry that I must test, it is my lot as a deadlord, but I shall treat Nah with care, now please stop struggling." Robin whispers. He then shoots out one of his shadow hands to grab her.
Nah performs a tight roll to avoid the grab, only for the other hand to grab her neck once her roll is finished. She didn't even see him throw the other hand!
"And so you have lost." Robin says calmly. "Now cease this foolishness. We have more tests to complete."
"I don't want to do your stupid tests!" Nah snarls.
"There is little choice in the matter." Robin says. "I am confined to my role. You are making this unnecessarily difficult, Naga."
"I am not Naga!" Nah roars. She manages to gargle another ball of dragonfire out of her mouth despite the grip on her neck, but it's about as ineffective as all her other shots. "Not all manaketes are Naga you maniac!"
"Of course not all manaketes are Naga." Robin agrees. "Only the divine ones."
Oh, oh! He means the divine dragon tribe! Nah honestly doesn't know too much about the dragon tribes, but she's vaguely aware they're divided by element. Of course "divine" isn't really an element per say, but it is it's own distinct thing… somehow. "That still doesn't mean I'm Naga! She's a goddess, not a body-hopping parasite!"
"Same thing."
"No, it's not!"
"Yes it is. I've met gods before." Robin says with absolute conviction. "Grima likes to hang around in grimleal bodies."
"Then Grima's weird! I've talked to Naga before, and it wasn't from someone else's body!" Nah says.
"That is… a revelation." Robin says. "So Naga has not been visiting every few decades…"
Nah didn't realize there were even that many Manaketes around. "Was one of those manakets by chance named Nowi?"
"Indeed one of them was. She was quite happy to participate in my tests for several weeks. Most of the refinements to my process came from her feedback."
Of course Mother would find this fun. How long did it take her to realize she wasn't actually allowed to leave?
"She wanted to leave eventually as well, unfortunately. She was fine company in the meantime." Robin notes.
Nah is starting to think that Robin isn't exactly scary. From what she can tell by his words, all the manaketes Robin has captured have escaped, and it doesn't seem like he actually wants to hurt anyone. He's just a creepy, ancient, very lonely, possibly insane, but not all that dangerous deadlord.
"Why are you confined to your role exactly?" Nah presses. "Why can't you just do something else?"
"Because I have been tasked with the study of-"
"Yeah, but why can't you do that from somewhere else."
"I could, I suppose, but then I would not have my materials or the rooms I need to prepare the experiments."
"You literally use crates and rocks!" Nah groans. "It's not that hard to find more!"
"It takes time to create those rocks." He says, sounding slightly offended. Out of all the things that got him to drop his composure, it was rocks. Really?
"The point is, you can leave and still do your job, which means I don't have to stay here either." Nah says.
"But then I would have to follow you to still test manaketes." Robin says.
"Yes, sure, fine, whatever. Come along." Nah groans. As long as she can get out of this stupid cave system, she can deal with a creepy but harmless undead scientist following her around. Worst case scenario, the Shepherds scare him off when she eventually finds them.
"Good." Robin releases Nah, then raises his shadow hands, plants them on the ceiling, and lifts the ceiling and moves it aside to reveal sunlight and the outdoors. "I would take the rooms with me, but I could only carry one…"
"You can carry the rooms?"
"Of course. How else did you think I organized everything?"
Not by carrying rooms around, that's for sure. She's also immensely annoyed to learn, when she flies outside and looks down, that she can see only grass. It looks like the roof of every single room is actually a thin layer of stone with grass on top. All she had to do was attack the ceiling and she could have gotten out at any point.
"Incidentally, I found you lying on top of one of my rooms." Robin says. "If you did not want to visit, you should have found somewhere else to rest."
Yeah, sure, because she had a whole lot of say in the matter.
"Would it be possible for me to speak with Naga?" Robin asks. "You claimed that you were capable of it, correct?"
She's going to have to answer these inane questions the entire trip, isn't she? Ah well, it's better than being stuck in the rooms.
This was a weird chapter, even by my standards. I'd be surprised if you couldn't sense the Portal vibes from this one. I considered just making Robin ominous and powerful. You know, generic powerful undead stuff, because that's basically what the deadlords are, but I went with something a bit more creative, if a bit more nonsensical.
Firehedgehog: :D
Plasma Dragon 312: All noted.
Some Bored Guy: All noted.