Warning: In this half of the paralogue, I let out my Inner Kirei. Yorokobe readers!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/ stay night and Fire Emblem: Awakening. Or any other intellectual property I reference for that matter.

Beta Reader: RedRat8

Kintsugi no Fusei

Book 1: On Fields of Fate

Paralogue 3: Fate Stirring Part 2

Eyes of sky blue looked about wearily through the corner of a window, trying to peer through the darkening sunset sky that was set alight by a blue blaze of divine origins. He took a deep breath through his nose to calm himself as he held on to the bow in his left hand, right hand ready to reach for the arrows in the refilled quiver strapped by his side with a belt. His ears were peeled, taking in the sounds of the roaring fire, the gentle humming, and the crying infant being fussed over.

"Alright, Find the Sweet Bear strategy isn't working on her anymore." He heard Gaius point out and he could all but see him hold his head in his hands in utter defeat out of his peripheral vision. "We need to feed Little Light soon," Gaius said seriously to all of them.

"I'm sorry…everyone." With a weak whimper came Sumia's apology. Her voice was still hoarse and rough, so she continued to stir the bowl of soft warming food in her hands. The act was a distraction, but he knew it gave her a purpose. "Her…her food still needs to…cool down a bit longer before…she can eat it safely."

"Thank you, Sumia. You've done more than enough. Just a bit longer little one." Olivia hummed softly but to little effect, as the baby Lucina continued to cry fitfully, something he knew would have prompted her to cry as well if not for their current conditions. "Virion, are Lady Tiki and the others still outside?"

At the mention of the Manakete, Virion turned his eyes to the roaring fire in the distance where seven silhouettes stood, one of them towering above all the others with scales of white and green, and the source of the divine flame that continued to rumble loudly. "They are. She is still using the Aether."

"Wait, what!? But this is the fourth time she's been using it today!" Gaius exclaimed in a flabbergasted tone, making the archer wince as panic quickly flooded his thoughts.

You fool! Don't you say it! But alas, he was too late to state his rebuke.

"Wasn't the first one enough for Say'ri's cremation rites?"

His volume prompted the young Lucina to cry harder, which finally reminded him of their current situation. This prompted the thief to hurriedly apologize to the infant and attempt to calm her down with his Sweet Bear tactic once more. But having voiced his thoughts, it was easy to see how morose the mood had quickly become, all their mouths now set in thin lines as they tried to be strong for the little one's sake.

The Falcon Knight was sniffling again, having to set the bowl and spoon down on the table as she sank into the chair, hands hurriedly wiping away the falling tears from her face, permanently marred by a thin red line.

The Sweet-obsessed Thief continued to apologize, but he had since ceased to include Little Light, his "I'm sorry" sounding more and more strained as he tried to keep himself together, the guilt he felt for his perceived sins now palpable.

The Dark Flier continued to hum and gently coax Little Light to calm down, yet her voice would crack every few verses, the song of her choice now working against her as the words pried open wounds, revealing the pain in her heart that the infant cried in her stead.

And for him, the archer's thoughts went back to the day before, when their group had managed to reunite with their friends…and found that one of them had been lost.

Lost to the man…the murderer, the one that they once called friend.

As the rain finally began to die down, Virion's eyes spotted the burst of blue flames in the distance. It was a phenomenon he had only seen a scant few times. The first was when Chrom had made his ascent for the Rite of Awakening, whereupon the Exalt had been different upon his return with the older Lucina. The second was when Naga had belatedly given aid in their eleventh hour against Grima's immense dragon form. And finally, just hours before while they were escaping Ylisse. When Lady Tiki had laid down judgment upon the Exalt and their former comrades.

He was quick to realize that it was the Voice of Naga. And with how large the burst was, he was sure that she was beckoning for them to come. "Everyone, did you see it?'

"Kinda hard not to Virion!" Gaius shouted back over the howling night winds. "Is it who everyone thinks it is?"

"It must be Lady Tiki!" Olvia cried out before him, ready to flick the reigns.

"Then we mustn't waste time!" Sumia declared desperately, still shielding Robin's daughter in her arms from the cold and wetness with Gaius' cloak as best as she could. She was out of danger posed to her by the others, but now she faced a different danger altogether. "Lucina needs shelter!"

They then urged their tired Pegasi to fly as fast as possible. Despite their urgency, however, they unanimously and unconsciously endeavored to maintain the safety of their charge. Thus, they spent several more minutes in the air before they gradually descended. The sight of Tiki and their comrades standing in the courtyard of the abandoned village, calling and waving for them drew an exhausted cheer from the two Pegasus Knights.

But Virion, his eyes ever sharp, felt his insides drop as he silently took count.

Lady Tiki, Stahl, Panne, Severa, Inigo, Owain, and even their Anna stood there in attendance.

But Say'ri was not there.

He dared to hope that was not the case. He made a plea to Naga in his mind, that their friend was just resting in one of the buildings that remained intact. For they had lost far too much already.

And if the worst was true, then he needed to be ready for the fallout.

They landed, he and Gaius getting off first to help the riders to dismount, especially a tired Sumia who still held a thankfully awake but now weakly coughing Lucina. Giving him a grateful nod and a gentle squeeze of his hand, Olivia went over to her fellow battle sister first to check on the child. While they were distracted then, the former Duke of Rosanne could finally see the faces of the others and found the sight all but confirmed what he had been fearing.

There was but a bare flicker of joy in their comrades upon seeing them and the saved infant. Wetness clung to their faces and while the rain could explain it, the redness in their eyes told him the real story.

The uncharacteristic subduedness in Anna, even as she gave them a wave. The stoic front that both Stahl and Panne projected, their clenched fists revealing how they really felt. The visible unease in Inigo and Owain's gait, trying not to let their gaze stray from the ground. Severa's conflicted look as she looked at the much younger version of her once friend as her godmother gave her to the dancer.

And yet out of all of them, none of it confirmed it more than the bittersweet smile of Lady Tiki that barely reached her eyes. "My friends, it is good to see you all safe."

"It's…good to see you…hah…Lady Tiki." Virion watched Sumia greet the Voice of Naga tiredly as Gaius helped her keep upright to walk closer to the group. Her eyes wandered about unfocused before noticing the trickster. "Anna! Oh, thank goodness…you're here!"

"Well, we still have that discussion, yes?" Their secret seller joked, yet the Bow Knight knew that she was trying to distract the Falcon Knight. "How about we all get you inside? Get some warm clothes. Food? It's on me."

The words prompted Gaius to do a quick but subtle once-over of the group. After doing so, he exchanged a worried look, eyes asking silently.

In return, he gave a stiff nod, making him realize what was going on and what had happened. Hiding the pain, he gently pulled her along. "She's right. C'mon Sumia, Little Light needs them too."

The three future Shepherds offered to take their winged mounts to a nearby stable, to which they were quick to comply, so they could then move on to their shelter.

Numbly, the sky-blue noble followed the two as the Dark Flier came by his side with Little Light now settled in her arms, the rest of them following behind. As they walked, the sound of their footsteps gave way to more trepidation to fill his heart as he waited for the other foot to drop. Although he knew that it was obvious and did not need to be asked any longer, he did not dare to voice that terrifying finality.

The finality that was even though they saved one life, another had paid theirs for it. That was a weight that hung heavily on his shoulders. What then would it do to the others when inevitably brought into the open?

"Virion," Olivia whispered as she stepped closer to him, Baby Lucina coughing weakly in her arms. "Do you think that…"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. "Not yet, Olivia. Please, not right now. Lucina comes first."

Her lips trembled at his words and what he was asking of her, but she nodded as she hurried her pace and entered the building.

Inside, Sumia was catching her breath and sat on a chair near the fireplace, where Gaius was already hard at work grabbing and putting firewood to ignite and warm them.

Virion was quick to lead Olivia to the other seat near Sumia and upon seeing her sit down and huddle closer with her fellow Pegasus Rider, scanned the place for anything that could be useful.

Judging by the furniture like the counter, tables, and chairs, he realized that this place must have been an inn. A thin, light coating of dust covered the surface of everything inside, telling him that it had been abandoned, perhaps from half a year ago or even a little earlier.

That would be around the time that the conscriptions took place. He recalled grimly before he shook his head and refocused as the rest of the group entered the place. Blankets, I need blankets. There should be some stored here.

Having decided his course of action, the Bow Knight left the four be, giving a nod of acknowledgment to the Voice of Naga as he walked past her, who gave a nod of her own as she made her way to the two Pegasus Riders. He briefly watched as she tenderly touched the forehead of Robin's daughter before he made his way behind the counter.

He dug through the contents of the drawers and found nothing of help there but keys which he was quick to take. The cabinet doors opened with a light cloud of dust that made him break out in coughs at the fume. As it dissipated, he looked inside and found a blanket. However, one was not enough, they needed more.

"Excuse me– Excuse me– Careful with your footing– Thank you." Going past the throng that was, their other comrades, entering the building, Virion went to the nearest window and once opened, began to dust off the blanket as best as he could. With his arms already sore and numb like the rest of his body, the act was tiring, and it was something that the ignorant noble that he was before would have balked at.

But someone had to act. The others were too tired, perhaps even injured in some way. He had to act. No one was there.

No one but him and the blankets, each heavy flap off it reminding him of the sound of wings, like those of an old wyvern.

Milord.

No. Not now. The former duke thought desperately. He could not think of her yet.

Virion gritted his teeth as he tried to focus again. However, his mind had already betrayed him when he had made the connection between the blankets and the flying beast of his loyal vassal that he had to ground in the battle. The flashes of his lost love tore through him. Like he was but a moth to a flame.

The warmth of her smile as she diligently went about her tasks, even without thanks.

Milord.

The way the light shined upon her hair and made her look like a fire that had taken human form.

Milord.

The sheer ferocity and passion displayed as she wielded her axe atop her wyvern Minerva.

Milord!

The joy that she had upon realizing that she would bear a son and that even in the bleak future, her old draconic friend would continue to aid and protect him loyally in her absence.

Milord!

The ethereal resigned face she gave him from a far distance as their army, routed and disorganized by Robin's imprisonment, prevented reinforcements from aiding her.

Milord.

The last words that she mouthed as he tried to break rank and save her, only to be foiled by the mad general and his men, continued to haunt him.

"Milord! Avenge Rosanne! Save them all! I will always–"

Crimson hair and liquid colored the air and fell upon scorched earth as the Conqueror himself personally beheaded her like he did the grounded mount that tried to protect her.

"You dare betray my mother Virion?! I knew you were not worthy of her devotion!"

"NOOOO!" An ear-piercing scream rang.

Virion nearly dropped the blanket as he snapped a start, one of his hands at his throat. The sensation of tearing his vocal cords at that horrid memory stung, but it was only that, merely a memory. The scream, however, was not. A scream that did not belong to him.

He turned quickly, eyes seeking the source of the loud cry as he stumbled away from the window as if he were drunk, the blanket still in hand as he held it closer to him like it was a lifeline.

The former Duke had to find out who it was, but deep down he already knew who the answer was.

And so, he walked, locked in a battle of clarity and lucidity, of memory and reality with each step taken.

Despite how many of them there were in that building, the Bow Knight found no one by the fire, though the screaming voice was still near. How long had he been lost in his memories?

He walked faster to the source of the screaming, eyes darting for details as he ground himself back in reality. What he found, startled him.

The walls of the hallways had messages messily carved on them and each of them was angrier than the last.

False Exalt.

Augustus Reborn.

Doomed Ylisse.

Lambs to the slaughter.

There were more words as he passed them by. Words he was steadily losing the courage to look at for each and every word was a hammer blow to the nail in his soul. A nail that is his guilt.

"How could I have let this happen?" Virion murmured tiredly as he finally tore his gaze away from the marks.

Could he have provided reason to his fellow Shepherds? Directed their focus, their anger to those more deserving? Tried like–

He stopped, nearly dropping to his knees at the thought, his face a twisted grimace.

No, I would not have been able to change a thing. That was a bitter, foul pill to swallow. He had no right to think that his flowery words would have changed a damn thing.

Many had already tried. Each of them with more of the right and status in Ylisse compared to him. And every one of them died.

He would have died too.

"You dare betray my mother Virion?! I knew you were not worthy of her devotion!"

There was nothing left for him. No home, no people, no lover nor child. Only those that remained of his allies and the tiny hope they fought tooth and nail to save from the tragic fate that befell her mother. He could only go forward.

"…he speaks true. I, I am not worthy." With his fists clenched tightly around the cloth, he picked himself back up and headed for the final room in the hallway. "Let this be my atonement."

Moments later, the Bow Knight was before the door. Left ajar, the sound came through it with crystal clear clarity. The cries were no longer alone, joined now by others.

He finally entered the room.

As Virion had already suspected and dreaded, the source of the scream was none other than their lead Pegasus Rider.

Sumia knelt at the side of the bed and its unmoving lone occupant. Insensate, she wept profusely even as her voice grew ever hoarser, a stream of words pouring out.

"Chrom–he–why!? WHY?! NO! SAY'RI! TELL ME THIS ISN'T REAL! SAY'RI! PLEASE! YOU CAN'T! I CAN'T! NO ONE ELSE WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE! SAY'RI!" The Falcon Knight sobbed in despair, never to be given a response for though her name was called, the Swordmaster lay deathly still on the mattress, her pallor without life.

With her anguished cries reverberating, echoing, the floodgates had opened.

Gaius, Stahl, Panne, Anna, Severa, Inigo, Owain, and Olivia. Everywhere he looked, he saw as everyone finally broke down, clinging to one another for emotional support. The spark of victory was now dampened by their loss…a life for a life.

Again, the archer nearly buckled to his knees as the full weight of what happened crashed down upon him. He may have not been close with the Chon'sin swordswoman, but he admired her nonetheless for being a stalwart figure who continued to accompany them even as their former comrades became ever so horrifyingly twisted day by day since Robin's imprisonment.

How could this be the fate that had befallen us? He thought bitterly as he forced himself to approach the grief-stricken Sumia, Olivia now kneeling beside her as they embraced to ease their new burden. Why could she let this–

Virion felt another stab of guilt as he stopped the thought from finishing and his gaze was drawn to the silent figure holding the life they had fought to save.

Tiki wept without a word, a soft blue glow enveloping her arms as she warmed Little Light, who slept peacefully and healthily in her arms, undisturbed by the cacophony of gloom that gripped the room.

No, he couldn't blame her. He didn't have the right.

He could only trudge on…

And ignore the urge to let an arrow fly toward a target who deserves it.

The door finally opened and Virion snapped out of his reverie. It was only now that he realized that he could hear the crackles of the Aether no longer, the sight of the bonfire that it was before now just mere embers left unattended. In its stead, the slow and muted footsteps of their other comrades had taken its place, their faces pale and disturbed.

"What the fuck…what the fuck was…how…how the fuck?" Severa murmured without a care for her language, yet her voice remained tiny and without bite, drawing his suspicion as her friends Inigo and Owain followed her. The former made a beeline for his mother, deciding to simply sit beside her, looking like a scared child who needed her comfort and only stopped by the fact that she held Little Light. The latter was deathly silent, his eyes wide open and without focus, his face gaunt like his world had been plunged into darkness and an enormous weight placed upon his shoulders.

Panne and Stahl entered as well, their footsteps louder, angrier. With teeth bared and her brows crossed to a furious glare, the Taguel looked like she had been told to imbibe poison and desecrate all forms of her worship. As for Stahl, he may as well have looked like he'd been carved from ice, but one needed only to hear the creaking of his abused gauntlets as his fists made what he really felt known.

The last to enter was Tiki, three items wrapped in cloth and Aether floating behind her. It was her expression and gait that gave him alarm. The Voice of Naga looked tired and resigned, he could even say that she was distraught as if she had exhausted all options available to her and found that none of them had worked.

All of them made their way to the table and seeing no sign of Anna, he reluctantly closed the door, made his way to his seat, and sat upon it.

For a few moments, none of them said a word, the silence so palpable that it almost made him squirm, with only his noble pedigree preventing him from doing so.

Finally, however, the silence was broken as Sumia braved through.

"Lady Tiki…where's An…na?" She voiced.

Tiki blinked and took a deep breath. "Fear not Sumia, she is well. I only asked her to prepare ahead."

"Prepare? What for Lady Tiki?" Olivia asked the question immediately, beating him to the punch.

"A journey…" The Manakete hesitated for a second before continuing. "If this world is to have a chance beyond ruin, the child must leave it."

Confusion swam through them before their eyes turned to Lucina, who had only just fallen back to slumber. With so many eyes on her, Olivia's expression became guarded, and held the infant closer to herself. Sumia and Gaius moved after, getting closer to her. Not good. He needed to interfere.

"And what does that entail, milady? Could you perhaps clarify for us?" Virion asked carefully.

The Divine Dragon looked alarmed as she seemed to register what she said (and some part of him drew satisfaction at the sight, a feeling he immediately squashed). Promptly, she spoke. "My apologies everyone. Please, I mean no one any harm. Allow me to rephrase."

"It would be best if you just showed it to them," Stahl stated rather icily. "Saves us all the trouble."

The Great Knight's uncharacteristic tone only added to the unease they were beginning to feel. Compounded further when Tiki sighed and confirmed it with a nod. "You are right. Stay strong and brave my friends."

With but a gesture, the cloth covering the items unraveled, revealing to them the two Falchions and the Fire Emblem.

Immediately, the peace fell apart.

The infant Lucina woke up and began to cry profusely as if she knew she was in the presence of something dangerous. Something inherently evil.

Sumia screamed in abject horror, the sound bloodcurdling as it tore at her throat yet again, and none of them could fault her for it as Olivia joined her too.

Virion felt bile rise to his throat the longer he stared at the items, stopped only as he bit his lip hard and drew blood, the pain providing him a release to the cursed sight.

Gaius had no such luck as he now retched on the floor, yet the smell was nothing compared to the source of their mutual disgust.

Their other allies reacted in various similar fashion, shuddering heavily as they were exposed yet again to the ghastly sight.

The Falchions and the Fire Emblem, objects of divine origin and purpose, were now wrong.

The Parallel Falchion oozed with a taint kept at bay by the Aether, inky eldritch veins of darkness choking the luster out of the core.

The Exalted Falchion remained stained by crimson red, the life color of the innocents it had taken now exuded malevolence, seeping into the divine blade.

And the Fire Emblem seemed like it had begun to rust, the splotches of red on it seemingly darkening and becoming like vile putrid mud.

The longer he stared, the longer that Virion felt that he was looking at something else, drawing him in, whispering.

HATE. KILL. TORTURE. DIE. DIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!

Its calls were muted by the Aether, yet he felt it nonetheless. And for but a moment, he could have sworn that something stared back.

The Bow Knight gripped his head in both hands. He had to make it stop. No. Get out! GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

A finger snap rang through the air, cutting through the darkening air as sacred cloth covered the Fangs of the Divine Dragon King again and the Aether pulsed brighter to banish the corrupted presence the now cursed weapons had inflicted.

Breathing heavily, the former duke wiped away the blood that had dripped down his chin, ignoring the metallic tang of crimson that filled his mouth—minutes passed as he focused on the pain to recover before he felt better and watched as the others began to recover from the ordeal.

Olivia began to placate the stressed infant in her arms, even as her voice came out choppily, pained, rattled, and proved that what had happened still influenced her, terrified her.

Gaius, having cleaned himself up, held a glass of water in one hand at the ready for Sumia, the Falcon Knight nestled in his embrace and in the throes of a violent bloody coughing fit.

Stahl, Panne, and the Future Shepherds had fared better, though he believed now that it was only because they had seen the corruption before already.

A corruption that now filled him with horror, as he realized that Tiki had been unable to destroy it despite her many attempts this very day. The Divine Dragon could only keep it at bay.

With the Fire Emblem and Falchions corrupted, then that means– Chrom, the other Shepherds, the Lucina of the Future, GEROME!

"Tell me again, Lady Tiki. What do you mean by your words?" He spat out, directing his glare at her.

Tiki met him with a firm gaze. "The Fell Dragon's body produces Risen still. It may take some time, but they shall spread eventually. With the Falchions and Fire Emblems corrupted, and I cannot remove them as I am, there is no way to use them to seal the power of the Fell Dragon without possibly making it worse. I am afraid this world is on its way to ruin."

Virion pounded his fist on the table. The fight had been rigged from the start. They were doomed to fail. So many had died…for nothing.

"But…where does Little Light fit into all of this? Lady Tiki, you said that for this world to have a chance, she must leave…why?" Olivia asked as the child in question began to calm down.

At that question, the Voice of Naga smiled, her eyes warm. "To put it simply, Lucina is her mother's child and she carries still the favor of the Divine Dragon."

Wait. She's part Fell Dragon and a Divine Dragon's Champion. The former duke suddenly realized.

"So, what you're saying is, Lucina–" Gaius began to say only to be interrupted by a now irate Severa.

"Absolutely not!" The daughter of Cordelia emphasized with an angry fist. "She's just a baby!"

"Peace, Severa that is not to happen. Only a possibility. "As Tiki stood, the covered fangs of Naga disappeared. "Perhaps in the future, she may have been able to take the role of her mother. Maybe even control the Fell Dragon's flesh if she will prove to be strong enough."

Will that even work? He thought as he looked worriedly at their friend's living reminder.

"But what is most important is that she must be kept safe." The Manakete had gotten closer to Little Light now, the baby looking at her curiously with the Mark of Naga twinkling in her eyes. "And this world is no longer safe for her."

"This Little Light must go…and I believe she will lead you to hope." Virion watched as she placed a glowing hand on the child's short tresses, and soon the color of blue melded with green.

"Accompany her to the Outrealm Gate and Beyond. Protect her with your life, until she has the Sword and the Unawakened. Only then will she, and this world, be saved."

An eerie chitter filled the unnaturally still air, heavy with the scent of iron from the crimson puddles on the muddy ground. The crimson puddles came from the felled bodies of warriors tasked to protect a certain location of interest. The guards of the famed Outrealm Gate are all dead, down to the last man.

They were not just dead, slain, however, as what befell them were rather grisly fates.

Scattered about were their bodies, many of which were not intact, unfit for honorable burials.

Arms and legs parted from the body, torsos cut in twain, and heads split open. Flesh and bone alike were cleaved with near-immaculate strikes as if they were but a carcass to a demented butcher despite the metal and cloth that should have protected them.

Sharp, dark metal punctured extremities and vital points in the other more intact bodies. Cold, clinical, and efficient like a deadly wind had passed through to claim their vital breaths. However, a closer look at the bodies showed holes in their body, specifically their chests, as if crudely rammed and impaled to take the hearts.

And take them they did.

Two mouths of living shadow, cursed mud, and rotten flesh opened wide and devoured whole the still-beating hearts in their grasps. On the ground between the two accursed beings lay a pile of hearts, blood still oozing from the organs.

A drop of blood trickled down a crack in a collapsed pile of wood and fell onto the brow of a young man, a strangled scream stuck in his throat as tears fell without end from his widened eyes, the only movement that he could spare in his hiding place. He could only watch in silent terror as these Strange Risen made a meal out of his massacred comrades' hearts.

He could not believe it. Everything happened so fast, too fast for him to process.

Nearly minutes before, they were all doing their duties, guarding the Isle of the Outrealm Gate as ordered of them by the General's orders from the Exalt many moons ago since the conscription. Call them distracted, as some discussions were going around then of what the Voice of Naga had recently revealed to Ylisse, to the world at large. Of the deceit and wickedness of their ruler and his close followers, of how they would seem to be in yet another repeat of the turbulent time after Exalt Augustus' death but now worse than that.

He was only a recent conscript and he had only been stationed here for a month, but he knew then that he just wanted to go home. He no longer cared that he would be heavily punished if his superiors ever found that he had thoughts of abandoning his post. In his heart, the growing desire to be with his family to weather the storm that would fall upon Ylisse.

Then they had seen a seemingly empty boat washed ashore. Eerie and suspicious, many of them felt apprehensive about approaching the vessel but followed the orders of their superior. The sound of something being unsheathed was all they heard before the screaming started soon after.

Limbs and bodies alike flew through the air as crimson stained the ground, and more drowned in their blood as horrid metal tore their throats.

The conscript had barely managed to hide in the logs as their assailants finally came into view, harvesting the fruits of their bloody labor like farmers on a harvest day.

He shuddered and closed his eyes, weeping silently as his stomach churned in revolt at the sound of flesh being ripped and torn for consumption. O Naga, Divine Dragon King, how could this not be your punishment upon us? How can we earn your forgiveness?

Unfortunately, his prayer received no answer and he grew evermore disheartened as all he heard was the monsters devouring his comrades, people like him who could now never go home.

The conscript could only pray he did not meet the same fate as they did.

Minutes passed and the revolting squish of flesh finally ended. A minute more, he found no sound, a trait that the two monsters inexplicably had that made their sudden attack horrifyingly successful. Are they gone?

The thought only made him worry more than give relief.

Why had they attacked them at all if they could so easily bypass their senses? Why even go here out of all places? The only thing of note here that he could think of was…

The Outrealm Gate! He realized as his eyes flung open and he found then that his fate was already sealed.

A bloodstained skull mask peered through the gaps of the logs, its eyes like an abyss swallowing him in its dark depths, its teeth looking set in a teasing grin.

"Gghk-!" The conscript couldn't even scream as a dark hand grabbed him by the throat and tore him out of his hiding place. Wood splintered easily and painfully, cruelly, dug into his flesh as he was hoisted like he was but a toy. It was only then that he could see these creatures in full.

The masked one holding him was clad in a cloak that looked like it was made of living shadow, and something large bound on where its right arm was supposed to be. The other had very long hair, clad in a facsimile of Chon'sin clothes, and held a sword far longer than he knew the Swordmasters of Chon'sin ever wielded.

Behind them were the lifeless, desecrated bodies of his fellow conscripts. Bodies that now began to twitch and tremble as shelled insects stained with cursed mud and living shadows took root over their heads, Thanatophages.

Losing his breath and eyes starting to black out as the grip on his neck grew ever tighter, even darker images and voices began to fill his unraveling mind. Everything bad that he had seen in his life but somehow becoming worse. Every sin that he had ever committed and was witness to was drawn to its most hellish depth.

All of it tells him but one simple desire.

DEATH.

"Ahh-ghk!" For but a split second, he was free from his torment as the hand let go of him. A choked inhale and a flicker of hope welled inside him.

That was all he had before the same hand that gripped him swiftly sunk inside him with frightening swiftness. Skin, muscles, and bone parted in an instant as the hand gripped the beating organ inside him and pulled it free as easily as a bear would catch fish from rivers.

His lungs flattened from the forceful act; he began to fall back. In the creature's hands lay his still beating heart, yet they only looked at something else, a direction, their goal.

The Outrealm Gate.

As the life drained out of him, he continued to look as they walked away to the ancient grounds. He saw his heart consumed like it was but a snack and an afterthought. He watched as the more intact bodies completed their transformation, shambling undead as Risen who followed their killers. And finally, the last he saw was a Thanatophage over his face, fangs sinking into his eyes, burrowing deeper and deeper, unable to scream as everything turned to darkness.

In another place, another time…

In a room that could simultaneously be described as cultic as it was ostentatious, the slosh of fine wine from a well-kept bottle trickling down a chalice brought a smile to its owner. And he had a very good reason to smile, nay, to celebrate!

Setting the wine bottle down, its owner picked up the golden chalice to take a whiff of the delectable nectar before he drank a sip of it, the flavor deep and the texture smooth. It was perfect for the occasion.

He raised it to eye level, the polished metal reflecting his features to him. He was never one for vanity, but someone in his position could afford and does require that he keep appearances, most especially with that foolish redheaded bastard still on the throne.

Grey was his skin and had been since the day he had been fully devoted to their rightful god, Grima, a mark that he carried with devout pride. His dark combed-back hair and white-striped beard were trimmed to perfection, highlighting his highborn features and superior lineage. And his eyes, glowing red with glee, were an auspicious gift for his devotion.

A devotion proven true, his patience paid very well, if his suspicions regarding recent events were to be proven correct.

His eyes turned to his grand table, placed atop it an expansive map of the known world and a clear glass vessel that trembled lightly. Inside the item was a cord of flesh, long since dried but ever so mystical as it glowed with a dull purple and wriggled as if it were alive. With dark magicks animating it, the glass vessel had moved over a section of the map, his lips curling to a manic grin at the location it displayed. "Oh, what folly of yours, dear wife of mine. To think that you hid there of all places. Run or hide as much as you want, Morgana, you cannot part a son from his father. Nor can you ever deny him his destiny."

A knock on his door came then, prompting him to give a curt "Enter" as he took another sip of his wine while his other hand idly tapped the armrest of his throne and waited.

The door opened to reveal a beautiful woman, white of hair and marked by magicks, one of his greatest finds and vengeance during the early years of his patient search—she, who he called, Aversa.

"Master Validar, how can I be of service to Grima?" She said as she took a deep kneel before him.

Validar let the silence stew for a while as he looked at his subordinate, the very one who served him loyally over the years as he had intended. Powerful, cunning, and with a fierceness that served his purposes well, he almost could not believe how this vixen had ever been born to fools who worshipped long-since dead dragons and had once served his estranged wife.

It made it even more satisfying when he reduced them all to ashes and gave their daughter a much better purpose, after all, he did save her from the Ylisseans.

Letting out a chuckle at the reminder, he finally spoke to his servant. "Rise Aversa, we have work to do."

"At your command Master Validar." With his permission given, she stood and approached his side, her red eyes looking at the map and his tool before her eyes widened in realization. "I see congratulations are in place for you Master~ Your patience is finally rewarded."

"Indeed." He responded as he set his cup down and removed the vessel from his map, revealing the drawn image of the isle of Farfort. "Not the island I would have expected my estranged wife to hide but I should."

The sorcerer tapped a finger over another isle close to his goal. "The Outrealm Gate. In retrospect, she might have attempted to spirit the vessel away through it once. Unfortunately for her, our god will not be denied his vessel."

Could it be that the pulse I sensed yesterday was connected to that? He thought as he remembered the feeling, the unmistakable pulse of the Fell Dragon from afar as if the power had begun to wake. The fact that the tool he made from the Heart's umbilical cord responded after years of dormancy further contributed to his suspicions. How foolish of you dear wife, all this time running, hiding away, and you hand him to me on a platter!

"Then Master Validar, we are to kill her for her betrayal and retrieve the Heart?" Aversa asked, making him frown as something welled inside him.

Morgana's violent denial of her place in Lord Grima's design was…infuriating. The fact that she killed and sabotaged a great chunk of the Grimleal before her escape with the Heart of Grima prevented them from immediately pursuing her. And even in the years since her flight, their elite agents who did manage to catch sight of her did not live long to tell the tale.

Still, some part of him adored her for that. Speaking truthfully, the renegade was the perfect choice to breed their god's vessel. A tactical genius who made a fool of that bullheaded zealot of Naga and his armies and a martial prowess who even while weakened by childbirth made a daring escape after the sacrifice.

If only she could think beyond herself and accept what was written! There is no greater honor than giving birth to Lord Grima's vessel! The sacrifice of the other was necessary! She could have possibly grown like the Rebel Princess and complicate our Lord's return!

It was the only flaw he perceived when he married her then and seeded her. Morgana was a descendant of the Rebel Euphemia and her Chon'sin consort, a lineage that was too powerful to be killed and not included in the grand plan for the Heart of Grima. And when he had seen the hair color of the vessel's twin, he had no hesitation, not when it could risk everything!

With an angry huff, he schooled his features back to calmness and addressed his subordinate. "That will be the objective of this important mission. Aversa, you and a select task force are to kill Morgana and retrieve the Heart of Grima by any means necessary."

"Are you not going to join us, Master?" The flier asked him with inquisitive eyes.

"As much as I would love to personally deal with Morgana, I am needed here on Plegia. It seems that the…King requires my presence." He all but spat. "I do believe it is to discuss some plans regarding our neighbors."

"Is that so? How unfortunate that you are denied satisfaction." She then knelt deeply. "Not to worry, your will shall be done Master Validar. When it is done and if you so wish, I will personally serve to you the betrayer's head on a platter."

"Such loyalty! Aversa, see to it that you fulfill that promise and return to me alive, you will be rewarded." Validar said with a grin as his eyes roamed over her kneeling body. "But for now, celebrations are in order."

Aversa met his gaze and moved to his desires. "I am at your disposal, Master~"

Yes, yes you are Aversa. The Sorcerer thought darkly as he grabbed his chalice and drank deep of it, elation swelling through his entire being. All shall belong to Grima!

Author's Notes:

Hey there everyone! Will here! The paralogue is finally finished. It took longer than expected but I do believe it to be necessary.

We've got a lot of revelations in this Paralogue and the one before. Planted some stuff that would be important for the future of the story. What did y'all think of them by the way?

On the other hand, we will now go back to the protagonists of the story in the next chapter and stay with them as we go into the remaining chapters of Book 1: On Fields of Fate. Let's see what things I have in store for Robin and Shirou because damn, I cooked.

Anyway, don't hesitate to tell me what you thought of this chapter in a review. Love it or Hate it, do tell me for improvement. I hope I was able to entertain you all.

Till next time, this is Will S. LaVi.