A sea of fire stretched before me, a nightmare that had become all too familiar. The cries of the dying—soldiers, civilians, bandits—echoed through the smoke and flames. I had been here before. No, I had lived this before. But in those memories, I hadn't been as helpless.

Now, though, it was different. The Shepherds, my comrades, my friends—they were gone. Fallen in battle against Grima. I hadn't even been there with them in their last stand. My arm had been lost in an earlier battle, and I was left behind while they went on to fight the fell dragon.

All that was left now were their children—those I had raised in their absence. Lucina, Cynthia, Kjelle, Brady… and my own daughter, Severa. They were the last hope, the future of everything we had fought for. It had been my responsibility to raise them, to train them in combat, to give them what little wisdom I could.

And now, all I could do was make sure they survived this day.

"Lucina!" I called out as I spotted her in the wreckage.

She lay beneath the rubble, still shielding a mother and child. Her face was bruised, but she was alive. Rushing to her side, I tapped her lightly until her eyes fluttered open.

"Uncle..." she murmured, trying to stand.

"Stay down a little longer," I instructed softly. "You need to reorient yourself."

She reluctantly nodded, and I turned my gaze to the mother and child she had protected. Both were alive, though shaken. Thankfully, the Risen hadn't reached us yet, giving us a brief moment of respite. I couldn't afford to rest for long; Lucina and the others had to get to safety.

Once everyone had recovered enough, I motioned for them to move. Lucina led at the front, the children of the Shepherds in the middle, and I took the rear. We moved silently through the ruins until we reached a refugee camp—what little was left of the survivors. The children ran to find familiar faces among the crowd, but not all of them did. Some simply looked up at me, lost and uncertain.

I sighed, relieved that they were safe for the moment, even if the world around us was still falling apart.

"Uncle... thank you," Lucina said, her voice thick with emotion. She glanced at the others, who had started gathering around what little food remained. The refugees were offering the children what they could, a small gesture of kindness in a world where kindness was a rarity.

I nodded at her but felt a familiar presence approach. I turned, and there she was—Severa, my daughter. Her red hair, so much like Cordelia's, caught the light from the campfire, and for a moment, it was as if I were seeing my wife again.

"Dad," Severa muttered, her voice soft, her eyes filled with conflicting emotions. She had always had a tough exterior, but I knew how much she cared. "You... you should've been resting. You're pushing yourself too hard."

I offered her a weary smile. "Someone has to make sure you're safe. That's my job, remember?"

Severa's lip quivered for a brief moment before she quickly turned her head, pretending to focus on something else. "You're so reckless. Honestly, what would Mom say if she saw you like this?"

The mention of Cordelia sent a pang of sorrow through my heart. She had fallen with the others, and there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't think of her. Still, I placed a hand on Severa's shoulder, squeezing gently.

"She'd probably scold me, but she'd be proud of you. I am too."

Severa's eyes softened, though she still kept her gaze averted. She didn't respond, but her hand briefly touched mine, a silent acknowledgment of the bond we shared. In that moment, I saw her not just as a warrior or as a Shepherd—but as my daughter. The child Cordelia and I had hoped would grow strong enough to survive in this harsh world.

But the respite was short-lived.

The ground began to tremble as the guttural moans of the Risen filled the air. They had found us.

The refugees began to panic, and the terror in their eyes was undeniable. I could see the children clutching each other, fear gripping them. Only the remaining soldiers and the New Shepherds, Lucina, Severa, and the others, stood ready, weapons drawn and poised to defend those that couldn't fight.

I turned to the New Shepherds. "Everyone, follow Lucina! Get to safety!" I shouted over the growing noise.

The fear in the camp was palpable, but Lucina's presence calmed them. As she rallied the group, I knelt by her side for a brief moment, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"Lucina, it's time. Lead them to safety… then go back. Change the past, and with it, the future."

Lucina's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded, understanding the weight of what I was asking. There was no time for hesitation. She signaled the others, and with Severa by her side, the New Shepherds began to lead the refugees to safety.

As they disappeared into the distance, I turned back to face the Risen. Their numbers were overwhelming. I knew I couldn't stop them. Not alone.

But it wasn't about victory anymore. I had one goal: to buy enough time for Lucina and the others to escape. To give them a chance to fix what had gone so terribly wrong.

Grima's shadow loomed closer, and with it, came the figure of Robin—no, the husk of Robin. His once-sharp eyes, filled with wisdom and determination, had dulled. Grima had consumed him entirely. The man I had once called my friend, the tactician who had led us through countless battles, was gone.

Seeing him like that… it was the final blow.

Memories flashed before me. The day I proposed to Cordelia. The birth of Severa. The countless battles we fought alongside Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, and the rest of the Shepherds. I remembered the last time I had seen them, before they marched to their deaths against Grima. I had wanted to be there with them, but I had been left behind because of my injuries. My arm was gone, and I was useless to them.

But even though I hadn't fought that battle, I had raised their children. Lucina, Severa, the others—they had become my family, my responsibility. I had trained them, taught them everything I could. I had watched them grow strong, seen them compete in tournaments, laughed with them during the rare moments of peace.

And now, they were all that was left.

"I'm sorry, Cordelia," I whispered, as the dark cloud of Grima's presence enveloped me. "I'm sorry, Severa."

I could feel the end approaching, but I still had enough fight left in me. For them.

"Robin…" I whispered, seeing his face one last time, the light in his eyes extinguished. "I'll avenge you. I'll avenge them all."

With a final surge of strength, I charged forward. I knew I couldn't win. This battle was lost. But I wasn't fighting for myself.

I was fighting for the future—for Lucina, Severa, and the children of my fallen friends.

The last thing that filled my mind, before the darkness overtook me, were the faces of those I loved—my friends, Cordelia, and Severa, leading the New Shepherds to a future that still held hope.

Author's Note: Idk if I'm gonna write a full fledged story of this but I just had to remove this idea in my head for a while now considering there's not really what I would consider "proper" start to a Shirou X Fire emblem awakening fic in 2 sites i visit daily. But if enough people wants this story to be full fledged let me know