A Reaper's Awakening

by Storm VII

After being thrown into the cauldron, Ragna the Bloodedge finds himself in Ylisse where he meets Chrom, Fredrick, and Lissa. What does fate have in store for the Grim Reaper? Why was he thrown into a conflict with Plegia, which he knows next to nothing about? Ragna x Harem

22. Five Roles: One Stage

Chapter XXII: The Exalt, The Prince, The Mad King, The Judge, and The Grim Reaper

'Dammit body, SLEEP!' Ragna grunted as he twisted and turned in his cot, trying to fall asleep. He knew that the next day was almost certainly going to be the most important in his life, and he wanted to be well rested for it.

The Reaper still considered going all out and try to finish off Gangrel's army while the rest of the Shepherds were busy with preparations, but he knew that there was too much that could go wrong with that; Gangrel could kill Emm once he realized he was a threat, she could die during the rescue, or god knew what else.

A spy had come back recently to report that Emmeryn was going to be executed in the morning as a public display, and Robin already had a plan ready to save her so now came the hardest part for him, the calm before the storm, the wait.

'If Chrom says anything about not getting enough sleep before we head out tomorrow I'll sock him in the gut,' Ragna thought as he get out of his cot and put his hakama pants over his boxers and his shirt over his chest. He also considered putting on his boots and jacket on as well, but decided it wasn't that cold. Plus, he'd always worn clothing to avoid making others feel uncomfortable by having to look at his arm, now was his chance to let himself unwind.

Walking outside of his tent and passing through the flaps he took a breath of fresh air and looked up at the stars. They seemed unusually bright tonight, almost as a sign that something was to happen tomorrow. Shaking his head, he walked outside of the tent grounds before he was a short distance away. Deciding he'd try and calm his nerves, Ragna laid on the cool sand as he tried to calm himself, he gazed up at the stars and the large full moon that took up a large portion of the sky, looming overhead dauntingly.

"Now I get what he was afraid of," the Reaper muttered to himself as he slowly closed his eyes.

Unknown Location

"My Lord, please answer my call, I beg of thee to listen…"

Out of the darkness a horrid set of red eyes shone forth, towering over Minos, yet he did not falter, nor did he fear what was before him yet it was frightening.

"I allow you to speak, so do so… And do not tell of trivial tasks… Lest I now deem you unworthy…" the voice said to him, echoing hauntingly throughout the void.

"Lord Grima," Minos said as his form bowed to a single knee. "The Shepherds are a short distance from the capital, and their guard is high. The Mad King does not seek to attack them, he wants them to watch him kill the Exalt."

"Ah yes, the death of Lady Emmeryn…" the voice laughed, a terrible, hollow laugh to would've sent shivers to anyone else, but Minos appeared to be unaffected. "I'll enjoy watching her die once more… Seeing her impaled upon that assassin's blade the first time was a sight to behold, but perhaps watching her fall to her death may be even better."

"As you say my lord… But we may have an issue in our preparations, it seems that the Reaper is likely to appear, the same Reaper who struck down Validar and eradicated any chances of his revival. We must be prepared for him…"

"And you've already done so, have you not? You've already claimed that your stratagem will work… Are you certain?"

"Yes, after today we'll have dealt a massive blow to the-" Minos paused as he seemed to focus his powers differently. "I sense conflict nearby…"

"As do I… We shall not speak again until your duty is done. Minos, do not fail me…"

The darkness faded around Minos resulting in leaving him kneeling in the main ceremonial chambers. Slowly standing he made opened the chamber doors and found his right hand man, Pharos, waiting outside for him, a very grim expression on his face. Pharos hadn't entered the chambers because only Hierophants were permitted to enter whenever they were in use by another member of the Grimleal.

"What has happened?"

"Fifty men from the king's main army led by General Maverick are at the gates demanding to see you," Pharos told him. "They are heavily armored and well-armed. If their demands are not met, they threaten to break down the doors when they come back with a much larger force, killing all in the temple."

"Infighting at a time like this…" Minos said in great annoyance as he shook his hooded head. "I cannot allow this to continue, let them inside and lead them to this chamber, I shall deal with them myself."

"Are you certain?" Pharos had to question. "If we lose you, the Grimleal with go into even further unrest and we'll be destroyed from the inside. We've already lost Chalard earlier this day, why risk anything more?"

"Your concern is noted, but I will not be in any danger, nor will the rest of the order. Chalard fell because he was too prideful, too cocky, and too spiteful towards Validar's manipulated daughter; I am none of those. Lead them here and seal the door, this will be settled quickly…"

Knowing his master had something in mind, Pharos bowed. "As you say my lord, as you say…" Quickly hurrying to the temple gates Pharos ran past several servants and told them to go into hiding for the time being before making his way to the entrance. "Open the gates, I'll go out to meet them myself. Warn everyone, head to your quarters, bar the doors, and don't try anything; Maverick's killed a farmer's boy because his pitchfork was momentarily pointing in his direction when he was bowing."

The gatekeepers nodded as they opened the gates before running off towards their quarters. Pharos steeled himself before walking outside to speak with General Maverick. He knew full well that he'd better chose his words carefully, or risk discovering if Grima could revive a man twice… if he was even worthy of such an honor.

Maverick was a tall man who was well armored in his dark crimson armor. His blond hair was tied up in a ponytail in the back and his narrow face and his features would've made him a handsome man, if not for the long scar across his left eye which was only partially covered with his eye patch. Unlike most of his soldiers who used a shield, Maverick wielded a two-handed greatsword and had been able to cut through seven men with a single powerful swing.

"Pharos," he noted somewhat emotionlessly. "It's been some time since we've last seen each other… The battle of the Highland Forest was it?"

"Indeed," Pharos said to him. "I believe you wished to see our Hierophant? Right this way."

"No games, you know how much I detest tricks," Maverick told him threateningly.

"Yes I remember," Minos said as he walked alongside the General. "Like that village girl that you'd saved from those bandits in Ylisse; you two warmed up to each other rather quickly if I recall correctly."

"Yes, and she tried to kill me in my own bed while she kept me warm… She took my eye and I took her head," Maverick said, gritting his teeth at the memory. "I'll never allow myself to be played a fool like that again." His good eye narrowed as they walked along the hallways, his troops footsteps echoing as they walked along. "Where's the rest of your order? Are they waiting for you to give the signal so they can spring a trap?"

"No, Lord Minos has instructed that they stay to their quarters until this conflict is resolved," Pharos assured.

"And this Minos, the one who believes himself to be Grima's judge, does he plan to allow us to cut him down where he stands?"

"I…" Pharos choked on the phrase for a moment before speaking. "I believe he plans to slay all fifty of you himself, if it comes to it."

"I see…" Maverick said before glaring his green eye at Pharos. "Back in the Highland forest you saved my life from that enemy Sage; this is the only reason I'm not cutting you down this instant."

"I understand…" Pharos said as he saw the largest chamber of prayer in front of them. He saw Minos kneeling in the center room, awaiting for the guests he was about to receive. "Please Maverick, rethink this."

"You push your rights to life," the General threatened. "Men, spread out and surround the false judge. He dies today."

Maverick's soldier were loyal to a fault and quickly entered the room, surrounding the Hierophant with their weapons drawn. Pharos sighed as he knew there was no chance anyone would listen to reason. Using the strength he'd trained hard for, he closed the heavy chamber doors and barred them shut, leaving his Master alone with the enemy forces.

Inside Minos had yet to move from where he knelt, The soldiers seemed to be minding their distance from him for the moment, though all weapons remained trained on him.

"I see that you've come to slay me..." Minos noted. "Allow me to ask… why?"

"To see that your little charade ends here," Maverick said to him emotionlessly. "You might've fooled your cult and the townspeople that you're the voice of Grima, but I won't be fooled by you and your so-called miracles!"

"And there we have it," Minos said before giving a raspy laugh. "You do this not from orders from your superiors, not out of any sense of honor or pride… You do this because you're scared of me… A General, clad in his strong and endurant armor, is scared of a single robed man… You seem wiser, at least than the rest of those fools."

"I fear no man!" Maverick shouted as the he readied to give the command. "Any last words pretender?"

"Yes, though I have only five… YOU'VE BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELVES."

(Cue Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix Darkness of the Unknown Armored Xemnas II)

Minos's entire body became shrouded in a dark purple flame as he stood, causing the very room to tremble at his power. Some of the soldiers began to stagger in their stance while sweat formed on the faces of others, each with doubts about the humanity of the being in front of them.

"KILL HIM!" Maverick called as is men roared before throwing their javelins and throwing axes, all of which barely touched the flames before shattering to pieces. "wh-WHAT IS THIS!?"

"The blessing of the Fell Dragon," Minos told them as he channeled the darkness and created a Halberd with a massive axe blade before quickly cleaving through the closest knights, decapitating their heads from their bodies. Another soldier wielding a silver axe rushed forward, but Minos easily blocked it by turning his weapon into a short sword and holding him back with a single hand. In his other hand he created a dagger and thrust through a gap in his helmet, killing the man instantly.

Several archers shot a rapid volley of arrows at him, but Minos thrust his hand out and the arrows froze in the air, all shrouded in shadowy flames. Swinging his hand the arrows returned to their shooters, impaling them in their faces.

An unmounted Great Knight then rushed forwards towards him with a steel sword, but Minos nimbly dodged each swing, giving off a raspy laugh while he did so before creating a spear out of his darkness. Deflecting the sword, by merely using the shaft, and then knocking the shield away Minos then stabbed the Great Knight through, puncturing through both sides of his armor without resistance. Noticing the other knight approaching from behind he swung his lance behind him in an upward arc, turning it into a scythe as he did so, and cleaved him into two vertical halves.

"All that fancy armor for nothing," Minos noted before laughing raspily once more. An axe wielding knight approached him, but he changed his weapon set to twin Longswords deflected the initial strike, and carved the man to pieces.

"We can't beat him!" one of Maverick's men shouted. "We need to get the hell out of here!"

"Hold your ground!" Maverick shouted as Minos used his twin blades to carve apart another knight's spear before stabbing his twin longswords through his armor. "We can't let him continue to use our kingdom for his own agendas!"

"Screw our kingdom! I want to live!" the soldier shouted as he ran to the doors and tried to open them, but all the succeeded was barely managing to shake it open. "OPEN DAMN IT! OP-!" he screamed as he was struck with a volley of darkness forged arrows, puncturing him fatally several times over.

"Do not run! This is your fate! Those guilty of defying the Fell Dragon and his order will be brought to justice!" Minos shouted as he cut through another lance user with both of his swords before connecting both sword by their handles and turning the weapon into a double sword. Swinging with deadly accuracy, he cleaved through several more men before coming to another knight wielding a large hammer swung his weapon downward. Minos held his weapon ready to guard, but the hammer cleaved right through it and disrupted the weapon turning it into unstable dark energy.

"He's weaponless!" the knight shouted. "We can kill him! We can-!" His last sentence went interrupted as Minos used the dark energy to form a Greatsword and used the weapon to cleave the knight's shield, armor, and body in half with a single clean swing.

"Am I!?" Minos shouted as he impaled his blade through another foolish knight. 'I control my darkness and I can make whatever weapon suits my needs!" The Grimleal's leader unleashed a wicked slash that severed one knight's head form his body, before blocking another's lance before cutting the attack across the throat. More and more knights poured into the battlefield, yet they were all easily mowed down by the Hierophant until only he and Maverick remained.

"One left," Minos said as he dispatched the last of them before turning to the General. "I wish you hadn't succumbed to your fear… I might've found you useful in the coming war."

"Enough of this folly," Maverick told him. "If I'm going to die I'd rather it be from a sword than the sheer boredom of listening to your prophecies."

"A warrior until the end… As you wish, I shall give you a proper death," Minos said as he rushed forward. His initial sword swing was blocked so he quickly transition to the next one which came from the side, again blocked. Maverick retaliated by stabbing at him, but he quickly dodged before bringing his sword down, causing the General to take a step back in retreat.

Blades clashed once more, sending out bright sparks. Maverick brought his sword down in a powerful arc, but Minos blocked the attack with his sword at an angle sending the off to the side. Maverick grunted as he brought his sword back to try and slash at Minos's side. In a short instant, Maverick swore he could see the enigma's lower face and the haunting smile he was giving… right before his right arm was cleaved off and his sword was sent flying out of his grasp.

(End Theme)

Maverick screamed in agony right before Minos cut his legs, sending him to his knees. He glared up at the Hierophant as blood continued to spill profusely from his shoulder.

"You made that far too easy for me, even as I fought so restrictedly…" Minos said as he towered over the kneeling knight. He brought the greatsword above his head and readied himself to deliver the final blow. "Have you a last request?"

"I… I do…" Maverick said as he gasped for air. "Please… remove your hood for me… if only for my last moments… show me what you really are…"

"...Granted." Keeping his sword held with his right hand, he used his left hand and reached under the cowl over his face before bringing it back. He smirked as he saw Maverick gape at the details he saw. Skin that had looked to have rotted before being unholy healed, brutal cuts that had barely faded, long flowing crimson hair, black sclera eyes with purple irises, and then there was his face… his face with that haunting smile.

"I-I- Y-y-y-you're-!" Maverick shouted as his eye grew in his deepest fear.

"For your crimes against Grima and his servants I execute you here!" Minos shouted before he brought his sword down and cleaved the General in half.

Letting his sword dissolve, there was silence for a moment as Minos looked at the carved bodies in the room before smiling, putting the hood back over his face once more, and heading towards the doorway.

"Enjoy thy feast… my lord…" Minos said as he waited outside the doorway for a moment.

"Is it over?" Pharos could only ask from the other side.

"It is…" Minos told him. "Open the door, we still have much to prepare for tomorrow…"

"At once," Pharos said as he began to unbar the doorway. "I'll find a few servants to clean the mess in the chamber. We'll have it completely clean by the time you need it for its next ritual."

"Oh?" Minos questioned as the doors were finally opened. Pharos looked at his master for a moment before gaping at the room behind. It was empty, not a trace of bodies, equipment, or even blood. It looked like nothing had transpired. "I do not believe that will be necessary."

Meanwhile- The Plegian Deserts

"Errr… Grrr…" Ragna groaned in his sleep before opening his eyes and wincing at the headache he was receiving. He glanced to his BlazBlue which seemed to be giving off a strange sort of feeling, not one that was painful or comforting, just a strange sort of pulse. "The Azure Grimoire is… reacting, but to what?" Ragna said to himself as the feeling slowly started to fade. "What in the hell was that feeling? It's gone now, but something's up…"

Shaking his head, Ragna laid on the ground once more and looked up at the stars, trying to think of what could have caused this. His Azure had reacted before when it was afraid of Hakumen, but for all he knew the White Susanooh was still back in his home world. Then there was Terumi and his S.O.L. code, but that deactivated his Azure, not caused it to go out of control. The Imperator could certainly send him out of control, but Ragna knew all too well that it couldn't be her.

"Am I overusing this thing?" Ragna had to question allowed before sighing. "Nah, that can't be right; I wasn't using it at all before I went to sleep and somehow Risen energy seems healthy to use than Seither."

Letting his head fall back to the sands, Ragna looked up at the stars. The moon had moved since he'd fallen asleep now no longer covering most of his view of the sky.

Star Gazing

The Reaper let out a yawn before his moment of peace was interrupted by the beating of giant wings and the painful feeling of sand blasted in his eyes.

"Damn it!" Ragna shouted as he tried spit the tiny grits out of his mouth. "What the hell!?"

"Hey! Mind the language!" Nowi's voice said as she lost her transformed state. "I'm still a kid you know!"

'You say that, but you're over a thousand! Or are we just talking about maturity!?" Ragna yelled at Nowi before he finally managed the get all of the sand out of his mouth. "So what are you doing here anyways?"

"Well I couldn't sleep because I was so happy that I'd found someone new to play with so I decided to take a walk and then I saw you off in the distance!" Nowi said happily.

"Okay then, next question. WHY did you decide to transform and fly over to me?" Ragna asked with irritation. "Couldn't you have just I dunno, walked?"

"Well I didn't know it was you," Nowi said pouting. "I thought it was someone trying to spy on the camp. I wanted to catch you so that I could bring you to Chrom and the others."

"So you decided to barrel toward them as a freakin' dragon?" Ragna deadpanned. "Wow, I can't even begin with what's wrong with that…"

"What about you?" the Manakete asked. "What are you doing out here anyways?"

"Couldn't sleep in my tent for whatever reason, thought I'd try sleeping outdoors," Ragna said with a huff. "At least to was my plan before I got waken up by a thousand year old girl!"

"You're making me feel old," Nowi pouted before looking up at the sky. "At least there are a lot of stars tonight, perfect for stargazing!"

"Pass," Ragna nonchalantly grunted as he fell on his back.

"Aw come on! It'll be fun!" Nowi begged.

"I've got a big day tomorrow," Ragna reminded. "So do you, so go to sleep."

"Oh, do you want a lullaby then? I can probably give a good lullaby!" Nowi offered excitedly. "Maybe if I do it as a dragon-"

"...Fine, go look at the stars," Ragna said, knowing that he wanted to keep some shred of his dignity. Smiling to herself, Nowi took a seat beside him before pointing up into the sky.

"Look right there," she said, pointing to a large cluster of stars. "That's a constellation called the Chef."

"The Chef?" Ragna repeated, only seeing a group of stars. "What're you talking about?"

"You're looking at it wrong," Nowi told him, scooting closer and pointing again. "See? He's carrying a ladle in his left hand, he's got a goofy hat, and big potbelly!"

"Huh, yeah I guess I can see it now," Ragna said mildly impressed. "Not bad."

"You think that's cool, take a look over there," Novi said with a bigger smile. "Over there we've got the hero king, Marth!"

'Marth,' Ragna thought, remembering the name Chrom's future daughter was still going by. Taking another look at the sky he tried to figure out how to see the constellations. "Is that him there? Holding his sword up high?"

"Yeah, now you're getting it!" Nowi said happily before looking at another constellation and pointing. "This one's pretty tricky to find, but try to look for it."

Glancing in Nowi's guided direction, Ragna stared at the area for a few minutes. He could start to see a couple of stars that made a body, but what was it holding. A sword? No, there was a bend in the constellation. An axe? That didn't seem right either, Maybe a scythe… a scythe...

"A Reaper?" he guessed, causing Nowi's smile to grow even brighter.

"You got it!" she said happily. "That's the Grim Reaper of legend!"

"Of legend huh? I guess there's always one," Ragna chuckled to himself. "No matter where I go."

"What's that mean?" Nowi asked him.

"Nothing, just remembering something," Ragna said with a small smile. "So where'd you learn all of this anyways?"

"There was this caravan that I used to travel with about a hundred years ago!" Nowi told him happily. "I had a lot of fun with them!"

"Is that right?" Ragna said to her. 'I guess that she's just the type of person to hop from place to place.'

For a while Ragna just laid down as Nowi continued to point to the stars, the Reaper had to admit, it was pretty peaceful. Eventually though Nowi started seemed to turn drowsy, Ragna was about to suggest that she head back to her tent, but the next moment he heard snoring.

'You've got to be kidding me…' Ragna internally groaned before he realized that he didn't know where Nowi's tent was. 'Well I could stick around here but…' He then remembered a very familiar magical… annoyance.

'LOLI-EDGE!'

'Damn it Luna,' Ragna thought to himself. 'Maybe I can just sit a short distance away and keep an eye out.' Ragna then felt Nowi cling to his arm, much stronger than anyone would've thought. 'Well I can still probably move her to my tent and leave her there for the night,' he thought as he tried to bring his arm out.

"Don't…" he heard Nowi say from her sleep as he tried to move his arm. He saw that she was starting to tear up, grimacing at whatever nightmare she was having. "Don't leave me… Please, you have to keep going… I don't want to be alone again..."

'...Right, she's been alive for a thousand years, she's probably had to say goodbye more times than most people,' Ragna thought sadly as he laid on his back and decided he'd deal with whatever happened in the morning. "Don't worry kid; like it or not I ain't going anywhere."

Support Rank C Obtained with Nowi

Ragna stayed awake for a bit before finally deciding to get some rest, accusations of him and Nowi would be dealt with another time and he wanted to be well rested for tomorrow.

The Next Morning

Ragna shook the sleepy feeling and sand off of his head as he awakened. He saw that Nowi had left, maybe she'd started getting ready for whatever she did in the morning… probably getting breakfast.

Getting up and dusting himself off with a little low powered wind magic, Ragna headed back to his tent before he finally got his coat and shoes (had to shake some of the sand out) before he finally headed to the mess tent to get some food. Getting some of the porridge that Frederick had made, Ragna sat down on the empty side of his table.

Gregor Knows Best!

"Oi, Ragna!" The Reaper noticed that the mercenary from yesterday was heading over his way with his own bowl of porridge. "Why are you being so alone? Isn't Ragna missing his friends?"

"I just felt like eating by myself, uh Gregor, right?" Gregor nodded. "It's no big deal I want some time to myself before the fight today."

"Time to self?" Gregor questioned before looking to where a couple of the other Shepherds were sitting, all of them trying to keep their spirits up, even at the strange joke that Vaike was telling. "No, no, time should be spent with others… Gregor knows this as important fact. Matters best resolved now so scary man can be himself on the battlefield; less weight on mind, yes?"

"You've got a point," Ragna nodded in admittance. "But scary man? Am I real that bad?"

"Constant bad words? Magic of Dark? Very violent? Scary person," Gregor explained. Yet again, Ragna couldn't really argue.

"Can't do much about the last two, but I guess I can at least try to have at least a little less of a mouth on me." It hadn't been the first time Ragna had been asked to change his habit because of his more direct choice of words, but it was his way of talking.

"Ah not something to easy to do, but Gregor has faith in scary red man! After all, Gregor was not so very different in his youth!"

"Wait, you swore a crap ton as a kid?" Ragna questioned a little perplexed. "You?"

"Aye, though Gregor supposes it could be hard to see, what with his innocent baby face!" Gregor said with a laugh.

"Er… sure, it's totally the face," Ragna said in a deadpan.

"But look at Gregor now, happy and merry, a swell sword with a smile on his baby face!" Gregor said with a laughter. "Work hard enough and you can be just like Gregor!"

"Not really sure I want to be THAT happy," Ragna said. "I've got to take my work seriously."

"Aye, aye," Gregor conceded. "But too much work and you forget how to have fun! Gregor hopes that you remember this very important fact!"

"I've been told something similar more times than I'd care to remember," the Reaper told him before smiling. "But Ragna'll be sure to… do with the relaxing and not… Shit, can't do it."

Support Rank C Obtained With Gregor

Finally finishing his meal, Ragna exited the mess tent and decided he'd heed Gregor's advice and go to check on some of the Shepherd's he hadn't talked to in some time. Heading over to Miriel's tent, he stood outside and called out to her.

The Scholar and The Azure

"Yo, Miriel? You in?" He didn't have to wait long as the red haired mage (the taller one) appeared in the tent flaps in front of him.

"Salutations Ragna, are you present in the hopes of discerning the arcane texts of magic?" Miriel asked him.

"Well I just wanted to stop by and say hi, but that doesn't really seem like that bad of an idea," Ragna admitted, now realizing this was the second person in a row he'd talked to with unusual speech patterns.

"My set trade from earlier is still in effect," Miriel reminded him. "An exchange of information between my magics and your BlazBlue…"

"Shoulda figured…" Ragna said with a shrug. Alright, what'd you want to know?"

"Perhaps the item's role of your arm would be a key beginning for discussion," Miriel suggested. "I find it rather hard to fathom that its original form was that of a human limb with a set shape and length perfect for your style."

"Well it wasn't always," Ragna explained. "I heard this a long time ago and I didn't really ask for the details, but the original form of this thing was supposed to be of something we called a Cauldron."

"A cauldron? You tell me that your arm of unfathomable power was a mere mixing pot?" Miriel asked, the rare look of confusion on her face.

"No, it was actually a gateway into the Boundary," Ragna told her. "We just sort of called them Cauldrons because it produced… certain things. Also, the Azure Grimoire doesn't really have a set form; it's just my arm right now because that's what I needed it to be."

"How odd…" Miriel said as she glanced at it closer. "Have you ever tried changing its form to better suit your own needs? I'm curious how far the possibilities extend."

"Tinkering around with this too much is risky, so I'm not in a big hurry to find out… though I have transformed it for one of my attacks, though I only use it when I'm really pissed at someone."

"I see… any other information you like to share with me?"

"That's probably everything, not much else I can think about for now," Ragna admitted.

"One important part to examine, a main contributor to the out worldly effects of your arm," Miriel said to him.

"And that is?" Ragna questioned.

"You," the mage told him plainly.

"Me? What about me?"

"A wise scholar once foretold that it is not the weapon that makes the man; the weapon is merely a tool. I hypothesize I still have much to learn about this artifact by studying the man who uses it."

"As long as I don't get dissected I guess that's fine," Ragna told her with a smirk. "Anyways, you think we could get into some spell work? I have these two spells that I've been meaning to get to for a while now…"

"Certainly, let us commence our practice!" Miriel said with unusual enthusiasm as the two began their learning of Arcfire and Arcthunder

Support Rank B Obtained with Miriel

Once Ragna was done learning his new spells from Miriel he finally headed to the command tent to speak with Chrom. He was about to head inside when he heard arguments coming from inside.

"What do you mean I'm not going to be a fighting?" That had been Olivia's voice and she seemed angry; a mood Ragna wasn't used to hearing her have.

"You're going to be the one smuggling us out," Robin told her. "It's going to be one of the most important jobs and we need someone we can trust to take care of us on our way out."

"But I can help you fight," Olivia insisted, confirming what she'd told Ragna about only losing confidence when he was around. Deciding he'd let her make her argument, the Reaper waited outside the tent for a moment. "I owe my life to the Exalt, she helped me in my time of need. I owe it to her to save her."

"Then wait to help smuggle us out," Flavia's voice sounded from inside. "I know it's not the most glorious job in the world, but we're going to have someone we can trust get us out of there. We'll get Chrom's sister out Olivia, you don't need to worry about that."

"I… alright," the dancer sighed. Figuring that was the end of the discussion he entered the tent, causing everyone to glance in his direction. The tent now consisted of himself, Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, Robin, Olivia, Basilio, and Flavia.

"So… are we ready?" Question of the day, not the easiest to answer…

"I hope so," Robin said to him as she glanced down at the board. "I've already arranged for our way to retrieve Emmeryn and we're going to have Olivia help smuggle us out of Plegia." The dancer pouted when the tactician said that. "Either way, this battle is going to be difficult, we're going to need to stay on our toes."

"You'll have me at least," Ragna assured them. "Anything I can do I will, just try to keep it together and we'll get through this."

"I wish you could've phrased that differently, but I also wish I had your confidence," Chrom told them honestly. "I don't think I slept a wink last night with all of the anxiety I have."

"...Is this the part where I finally get to rail on you for a change for not getting enough sleep?" Ragna asked with a smirk, receiving a stern glare from Chrom and a giggle from Lissa.

"You two act like a married couple," the princess commented causing the Prince and Reaper to refuse to look at one another.

"At ANY rate," Frederick began, his voice and expression unable to hide his irritation, "It's time that we rallied the troops and proceed through our final briefing."

"Looks like the calm before the storm is finally ending," Chrom said. "I just hope that waiting was the hardest part to this day…"

"Don't worry it will be," Ragna promised as everyone started to head out, after a moment it was him and Chrom in the tent.

A True Friend

"Seriously though, how are you feeling?" Ragna had to ask Chrom.

"Like I'm about to go insane," Chrom told him as he took a seat and sighed as he rested his forehead on his fist. "We're finally about to get my sister back, but…"

"What?" Ragna had to ask as he crossed his arms.

"I still have doubts, not about Robin's plan she's been amazing, but my sister's life is on the line and I'm worried that we won't be enough. There's just so much that can go wrong."

"Can't really blame you," the Reaper said to him. "But I told you, I'm not letting anything happen to Emmeryn, I already swore to her I'm not going to see someone die."

"And I don't doubt that you meant that, it's just so infuriating; Gangrel's holding my sister's life in his hands and he's probably laughing about it…"

"He's got a sick mind that's for sure," Ragna told him before glancing at something beside Chrom's trunk, a glass bottle filled with liquor. "Chrom. it's a bad time to start knocking a few back."

"Hm?" Chrom began before glancing down to the bottle. "Oh that, it's nothing; I just won a bottle of ale from Vaike after beating him in a sparring match earlier this morning. First he lost one to Lon'qu back in Ylisse and now he's losing one to me… he shouldn't be making bets with his alcohol."

"That didn't stop you from taking it," Ragna said as he made his way of and yanked it out from under Chrom's chair.

"Hey!" the prince shouted as his friend pulled the cork out with his teeth, spitting it out, and taking a long swig from the bottle. "I thought you said it was a bad time to start knocking a few back."

"For you yeah," Ragna told him as he wiped his mouth with his jackets sleeve. "I can take a drink far better than you can." Noticing the blue haired lord glare at him, the Reaper smirked before tossing the bottle to him. He chuckled as his friend fumbled the bottle in his hands before finally catching it. "Care to prove me wrong?"

"...Just so you know, I'm only doing this because Emmeryn told me that it's terrible for someone to drink alone," Chrom assured him before taking his own sip from the bottle.

"Our Exalt told you that?" Ragna had to ask him as Chrom finished his drink. "I wouldn't have thought she'd be a drinker…" He let out a chuckle. "I can't imagine her drunk, but wouldn't that be hilarious?"

"Please don't say drunk, we really shouldn't be doing this," Chrom said as he tossed the bottle to the Reaper who took his turn with the ale. "Also, Emmeryn didn't drink but I'd recently started drinking myself and she wanted me to promise her that I'd never drink without a friend to make sure we didn't go too far."

"And you're stuck trusting me," Ragna said before tossing the bottle once again. "Maybe I should let you take too much and hog all of the glory for myself. The Red Swordsman and the Drunk Prince, great story."

"Come on, Ragna," Chrom said with a roll of his eyes. "We both know that I'd probably have to bribe you to have you take any sense of glory."

"True enough," Ragna told him. "Trust me, I haven't had much experience with people trying to brownnose or kiss my ass, but I've hated it every time. I know who my real friends are."

"Always a good thing to know," Chrom said before finally tossing the ale back to Ragna. "Hey, what are you planning on doing once this is over?"

"Good question," Ragna said as he looked into the drink. "I guess stick around with the Shepherds, I don't have any plans of wasting my time finding a way home, that's for damn sure." Ragna then took a swig of the alcohol. "Plus, you're probably going to need me when there's more trouble."

"No plans on going home?" Chrom questioned as Ragna threw him back the bottle. "I know that you were a criminal back where you're from, but don't you at least have a few friends to go back to?"

"A few maybe…" Ragna admitted. "But they're probably better off without me, I have a tendency to cause trouble wherever I go and a lot people get hurt."

"And you're not doing that here, reason enough," Chrom agreed. He was about to toss the bottle back to Ragna, but he noticed that there was a very small amount of alcohol left in the bottle. "Last sip."

"You want to fight me for it?" the Reaper asked with an obvious and cocky grin.

"...No, I have something better," Chrom said with a smirk as he placed the bottle down on the desk between them. "Whoever takes the last sip HAS to rescue Emmeryn."

"Wha?" Ragna stuttered as he looked at the bottle like it was the switch to a bomb detonator or its disarm and he didn't know which one it was.

Chrom shook his head, he's meant to do that as a joke, but he knew he'd just shaken his friend and himself to some degree. The Prince was about to call it off and apologize to Ragna, but the Reaper grabbed the bottle off of his desk and downed the last of it.

"Damn, I thought the last sips were supposed to be the best, that tasted terrible," he said with a grimace.

"Ragna I was joking," Chrom told him. "I'm not going to put that much weight on you when you've clearly had enough on your mind since you've gotten here."

"It's just a way of promising," Ragna said darkly as he looked at the bottle before sighing. "Back home, there was this girl I knew; Lambda. Wasn't exactly close to her, but I guess she was okay. I'd gone to finally fight Terumi for real… but I didn't stand a chance. Hell, he was just toying with me; locking my arm's power, unleashing his own. I had to fight tooth and nail just so I wouldn't die in an instant."

"You must've been pushed to your limit," Chrom acknowledge. "What happened?"

"Well he had me on the ground," Ragna told him. "He kept laughing at me, telling me that I didn't stand a chance. I didn't give up, I told I'd keep fighting until the end and as a human… that just pissed him off. He was about to finish me… but then Lambda showed out of nowhere and took the hit for me."

"You don't have to continue," Chrom told him.

"Well I'm going to," Ragna shrugged. "Like I said, I didn't really know her at all, why did she die for me? ...She was fading fast in my arms, seeing what my own damn mistakes had done to her… That's when I told myself, I wasn't going to lose anyone else, not to Terumi, not to the Imperator, no one..."

"That sounds like it was a living hell," Chrom noted. "So that's why you're making the promise?"

"Yeah, 'cause it's one I've got to keep, and I'm going to keep it," Ragna said before he cricked his neck. "This wasn't bad, we should grab some more ale and do this with the rest of the Shepherds.."

"There'll be plenty of time to go out for drinks after we save my sister," Chrom told him as he stood. "Come on buddy, we've got work to do."

"Right behind you," Ragna said as he left the empty bottle on the desk.

Support Rank A Obtained with Chrom

Plegia Castle-Throne Room

Gangrel lazily lounged upon his throne letting out a soft yawn and smacked his lips waiting for the word to arrive. Prince Chrom would soon be arriving and he'd be bringing the object he'd been attempting to acquire ever since this event began, the Fire Emblem… or a dead Ylissian Exalt… or both. Oh well, no matter what happened, he was sure to get SOMETHING that he wanted.

"Sire!" a soldier said as he made his way into the throne room. "It's time."

"Ah, wonderful," Gangrel said with a cocky smile. "Now comes the moment of truth… I take it that the Ylissian prince and his merry band of Shepherds are on their way?"

"Yes sire, they are," the trooper told him as Gangrel started his walk out of the throne room. "Are you taking this situation a little too… comfortably? The Shepherds haven't experienced a single loss since we've begun attacking them and I heard rumors that lately they haven't even suffered a single casualty."

"You let me worry about the Shepherds and those little rumors they've been spouting amongst the people, you worry about… what are you, a castle guard?"

"I'm under General Mustafa's command Sire," the soldier said before saluting to the Mad King. "Recruited soldier Gallic sir."

"Never asked for a name that I don't even remember now," Gangrel muttered under his breath. "Oh, then make sure you guard the area and make sure none of them try and make a quick getaway from the main event. That's what I'm paying you for!"

"Yessir," Gallic told him with uncertainty. "I'll return to my General then…"

"What were you doing away from Mustafa anyways?" the Mad King asked. As the soldier was about to answer Gangrel quickly waved him off. "Never mind, don't care, go back to him and try not to bore your forces to death, Garlic."

Rudely hurrying his way up ahead he made his way outside and covered his eyes for a moment at the hot desert sun. He then headed to the cliff overlooking his subjects. Looking up, he saw Emmeryn who was standing one of the plank-like ribs. Seeing her about to finally die, he gave a cocky sneer he turned to the subjects beneath him.

"PEOPLE OF PLEGIA!" he called. "I come to you not only as your king, but as an entertainer as well! I bring you the show you've not so secretly wanted! You all remember the Ylissians no doubt! The ones who made you suffer so in the days of the war!" Gangrel paused as he tried to act sorrowful. "Some of us lost our homes, many of us lost our loved ones, other lost bits of their very flesh… WELL TODAY YLISSE'S EXALT IS GOING TO FEEL ALL HER FLESH GO SPLAT!"

Emmeryn had already endured the hatred of her own people for a time, the things they'd said about her, the spite they'd shown, the threats they'd made, that hadn't compared to what she was hearing and seeing now.

"KILL HER!"

"SHE'S A MURDERER!"

"AVENGE MY SON!"

"THE EXALT FAMILY IS EVIL FILTH! HELL IS TOO GOOD FOR THEM!"

"THEY WANTED THIS WAR! HAVE HER HEAD ROLL FIRST!"

"The people have spoken… Well I was going to kill her regardless, but at least now I have someone to share this moment with," Gangrel said with an obvious smirk. "MOVE HER INTO POSITION!"

"Time to die," the barbarian behind the Exalt said as he poked at her with his axe moving her even closer to the edge.

'This is it for me…' Emmeryn thought as she slowly moved to the edge. 'My resolve and ideals… I couldn't uphold them… This war will tear us all asunder… And I am to blame… Chrom… Lissa… You must find your own path. But even when I'm gone, I'll always love you with all my heart…"

"GAH!" The sudden scream of her executioner brought her out of those final bleak thoughts. Emmeryn turned behind her and saw her executioner gapping at the axe sprouting out of his chest before collapsing and falling from the plank. Emmeryn stared at the man's corpse in awe before seeing a large man with dark skin and an eyepatch who'd appear to have thrown the axe from quite the distance. Standing beside him...

(Cue Divine Decree (Ablaze))

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Ragna called out with a salute, an obvious smirk on his face. "Care to do the honors Chrom?"

"Gladly! SHEPHERDS! RESCUE THE EXALT!" Every member of the Shepherds let out a battle cry as they rushed through the sand.

"The Ylissean Dogs are attacking!" Campari, one of Plegia's Generals called out causing many of the townsfolk to scatter. "All units form up! Let the sand slow their advancement and run them into the ground!"

"I suppose this is where I take my leave," Gangrel shrugged casually. "I'll leave them in your very capable hands." The Mad King stretched as he left for his castle with a yawn. "And if you're going to make them scream, do it rhythmically; I always love a good lullaby before a cat nap."

"Are our reinforcements arriving soon?" Campari demanded from one of his messengers.

"Sir! The Wyvern Rider brigade is flying towards us to complete a pincer attack as we speak! They may take some time to arrive however!"

"We'll manage… tell General Maverick that he can come out of hiding now, I want every man we can get!"

"But sir, no one has heard from the General or his elite garrison since yesterday!"

"What!?" Campari thought before he remembered where Maverick had said he was going. "That fool, did he actually pick a fight with those fanatics and lose…? What of our dark mage corps!?"

"We… we're expecting no support from the Grimleal, all of the members have been called from the battlefield by the Hierophant. He's also taken nearly all of our mages dark or otherwise unaffiliated with the order, leaving us with a mere handful of spell casters."

"DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" Campari shouted with rage and causing the messenger to take a step back. "IS HE TRYING TO DOOM US!? WAS THIS ALL A PLOY SO THE SHEPHERDS COULD GET THEIR PRECIOUS EXALT BACK!? ...That man is dead when this is over, YOU HEAR ME!? DEAD!"

On the other side of the battlefield, Chrom and the others were fighting with renewed strength seeing this as their moment when they could finally take back their ruler and strike a crippling blow to the Mad King.

Chrom moved ahead of most of his fellow Shepherds, though the sands still impeded his progress. Most of that didn't matter as he wielded Falchion in right hand and a steel lance in his left. Whenever he hadn't been going over battle plans, talking with the other Shepherd's, or resting very briefly, he'd been spending every fiber of his being towards developing his new style.

He impaled an enemy archer with his spear before pulling the weapon out of the corpse and using it to block the killing edge from an enemy Myrmidon and cutting him down with Falchion. Leaping to the side, he dodged a powerful hammer swing from an enemy barbarian before twisting his body and cutting down yet another opponent. In the background he heard Robin shouting out commands to the troops as the Shepherds rush alongside him, slaying any Plegian soldiers that offered resistance. Chrom continued fighting valiantly until he noticed someone off in the distance, fending themselves against Plegian soldiers with an axe.

'An ally this far out?' Chrom thought to himself as more opponents surrounded the mysterious white robed individual. 'They won't last long.' "Ragna! I need you to help me clear a path through to whoever's over there!"

"On it," Ragna said plainly as he charged a powerful torrent of wind magic into his sword and unleashed a massive Wind Edge that sent several soldiers flying. "Now go bring 'em back, I'll settle for dealing with these losers for now."

Nodding, Chrom headed through the opening that Ragna had created while the Reaper stayed back and assisted the Shepherds with the forces that were currently attacking them. Proceeding through the sand, the Price approached the long haired blonde figure who just managed to cut down another soldier with their axe.

"You, you're the Exalt's brother, Prince Chrom," the figure said. "Oh, thank the gods I've found you alive and well! Oh holy Naga, right in spirit and virtue, to you I-!"

"Can this please wait?" Chrom demanded as he cut down an enemy mercenary. "Who are you and why are you here alone in the first place?"

"Truthfully I did not come here on my own," the mystery person told him with a grimace as they took down another soldier. "I lost many members of our church on my journey here, but if I can help in any way to saving Lady Emmeryn, I can at least make sure their sacrifices were not in vain. As for my name, I am known as Libra."

"Then we welcome your help," Chrom said. "I'm always honored to stand with a woman of the clergy."

"Er…" Libra grimaced as the enemy began surrounding the two.

"Kill the little prince!" one of the soldiers shouted. "Then maybe we can have some fun with the woman!"

The other soldiers cheers seemed to set Chrom off as he protective got in front of Libra in a heroic pose ready to defend his-

"DEAD SPIKE!" Ragna shouted as he sent out massive blasts of darkness and obliterated the soldiers, absorbing their spiritual energy. "I can't stand those threats, but that was just awkward!" As Ragna guarded against an enemy's axe (without turning) he pointed at Libra. "Man by the way."

"Y-you're joking," the prince defied as he turned to Libra who was merely scratching the back of his head while Ragna killed his current attacker with a well-placed punch. "I-I-I'm so sorry…"

"No matter, it's far from the first time this has happened," Libra assured him. "Rescuing the Exalt takes priority regardless."

"Agreed," Chrom said before hearing a screech coming from behind the enemy lines. "That sounded like a Wyvern! Damn, it looks like an entire Brigade! If they go for Emmeryn-"

"I'm on it!" Ragna shouted as he started running back through the sand. "You stick with him and advance with others! I'll go with Robin and take care of them." Ragna shouted, hacking through a Plegian knight as he ran.

"Does he usually run off like that?" Libra decided to question.

"You have no idea," Chrom said shaking his head. "Let's keep moving pushing forward until we take the armies General."

"As you say," Libra told him as he readied his axe.

A spearman rushed towards the man of the cloth, but Libra deflected the attack with ease before cutting them across the chest with his axe. One of the few enemy mages then cast an Elwind spell, but Libra's natural magic defenses were more than enough to cancel out the attack. An enemy knight tried to impale Libra, but the Monk leapt into the air before bringing the axe down in a devastating attack that cut through the knight's helmet like it was nothing.

Chrom then moved forward towards the General's current position and cut through a myrmidon blocking his path. The swordsman did not last long as Chrom's ran him through as the young prince lunged forward and Chrom's Falchion cut though an enemy warrior as he did so. Chrom impaled his sword through another axe user's arm before twisting his body, beheading the attacker.

Chrom had just finished slaying the axe user when the last soldier in the immediate area stabbed him across the chest with his spear, though his armor did take most of the impact. Grimacing at the pain Chrom quickly dispatched the opponent before looking at his wound.

"Damn it, I was careless," Chrom groaned as he looked at the slow trickle of blood that was emerging from the wound. The Prince noticed a faint light surrounding him as the wound closed and saw that Libra was using a Mend staff. "Thank you."

"Oh no, it's simply my duty…" Libra said before glaring the shadow direction as the two heard movement. "Show yourself!" Out from the shadows stepped a Plegian Dark Mage with raven black hair. "A mage… though you don't appear to be affiliated with the Grimleal."

"I don't really care for the worship," she said nonchalantly. Chrom noticed that she was carrying an Elthunder tome and she had a dark Nosferatu tome as well, but it didn't appear that she was in any hurry to use them. "Aren't you going to kill me? I AM with the enemy you know?"

"I'm not exactly sure you're in any hurry to kill us," Chrom said to her. "And I don't kill those who don't wish for violence."

"Did any part of you even consider that this would be a ruse?" she question. "What if I'm just keeping you here so my allies could surround you?"

"I think I can count on my friends if that were to happen," the Prince assured her… before wondering if he might take a page from Ragna's book. "If you're not going to fight for Gangrel then why not fight for us? We could use someone like you."

"You're offering me a chance to join the opposing side?" the dark mage said. "That's a very strange thing to offer, and I doubt I should just-" She suddenly stopped talking as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye and seemed to grow cold. "Wha… who…?"

"Hm?" Chrom questioned before turning to the direction of the nameless woman's gaze and seeing what she was staring at, his face turning stoic when he saw it. "Oh… them."

Ragna and Robin were on the north end of the battle where the Wyvern Brigade had arrived and the two were completely destroying the attacking forces. Robin cast an Elthunder spell that destroyed one rider while Ragna cut down another that was going for Robin while she cast her spell. The Reaper then used his Wind Edge ability to cut down several Wyverns from afar before Robin jumped onto the weapon he propelled her into the air, putting into a much closer range for the barrage of wind spells she unleashed on the air units and used the winds for a safe decent while Ragna unleashed another wave of darkness.

"That would be our tactician and our mysterious friend," Chrom told the dark mage. "I guess now Robin's trying to show off now thanks to Rag…na…" Chrom had finished the sentence with uncertainty because he'd turned to see that his potential ally was staring at the two with a strange smile on her face and appeared to be drooling out of one side of her lips. "A-are you okay!?"

"I'll join you!" she shouted with an eager smile on her face as she wiped the drool away. "Call me Tharja by the way. I'll be sure to protect your friends perfectly… heh heh heh…" And with that, Tharja simply turned and blasted an archer who was about to attack the Shepherds before running off to join the other group, blasting Pelagians warriors with lightning along the way.

"Did that really just happen?" Chrom had to ask. Libra simply shook his head. 'And I thought only Ragna found the strange ones.'

(End theme)

On the other side of the battlefield General Campari was growing more and more worried, he stood guarding the courtyard's entrance with his selection of elite light armored soldiers and mages, but the Shepherds were breaking through at a staggering rate.

"This is impossible," the General said with a grimace as he saw his forces becoming completely overwhelmed. "Their strategy is nearly flawless and their units are so powerful, especially that Prince and that man in the red coat." He turned to his elites. "We can't let them win, go end the life of Ylisse's exalt, I'll watch the fools faces here and see them fill with despair."

"Sir!" the troops shouted as they turned to leave, but before they could make much headway, all three of them received an arrow in the back of their heads, killing them where they stood.

"That's a pretty cowardly move, even for my standards," the General head a voice say from behind him. Turning he saw an orange haired man, with a black bandana in black leathers, enjoying a lollipop of some kind as he held as bow. "Can't say I approve of you killing my employer's sister, Campari."

"That's General Campari to you thief, and don't think for a moment that you're innocent here. Didn't you go off with Validar's group in order to kill off the Exalt after I caught you trying to rob our own vaults?"

"It was either go with them or die on the chopping block," Gaius told him, seeming passive despite the weight of the situation. "Plus, no one said anything about murdering her, I thought you just wanted the Emblem."

"So you turned to the other side because of your so called morals? I've never seen a more pathetic thief. How long do you think the Shepherds their prince will let you live?"

"Much longer than you would," Gaius said before putting his bow away and drawing his iron sword. "Speaking of which, I should probably get to business."

(Cue Final Fantasy XIII Saber's Edge)

"You're going to face me here? Alone? You're a bigger fool than I thought," the General said as he readied his short spear. "By the way, what are they paying you? Gold? Your pathetic candy? Tell me what they're paying you and I'll triple it! And all you need to do is get close to that prince and steal-!"

"Pass," Gaius said causing the General to scowl. "Like you said I've got morals, even as a thief, and for one thing I don't abandon my friends for anyone or anything, least of all former employers."

"Friends!?" Campari laughed. "You call these people your friends!? You're a common thief and you're dealing with nobility! Did they actually pay you after you shined their boots!? Was that enough to buy your loyalty!?"

"And this would be the part where I stop listening," Gaius said with a nonchalant sigh as he flipped his sword into a backhanded grip and rushed forward in a crouched approach to make himself a smaller target.

The General immediately threw a spear in his direction, but Gaius was prepared as he deftly rolled out of the way, landing on his feet and moving forward once his roll ended while Campari brought out another shortspear. He hastily stabbed it forward when Gaius was in range, but the thief deflected the attack off of his sword before rushing forward and cut across Campari's side, but he was unable to cut through the armor.

"Crap!" Gaius swore through gritted teeth as Campari turned and tried to smash him with his large shield. The thief nimbly backflipped and avoided the attack. 'This guy's an idiot, but he's no slouch when it comes to fighting and I'm not going to have a chance getting through that armor like this. Still, I have to keep him busy until the others are done on their end.'

What's wrong? Having second thoughts!?" the General shouted as he threw a second spear which Gaius again managed to avoid. "You should have taken my offer you pathetic whelp!"

'On second thought maybe I'll take him myself, at least he'll shut up that way,' Gaius thought as he again made his way forward to attack while Campari drew yet another shortspear. This time the General tried to bash Gaius was his shield, but the thief's reflexes proved to be faster as he quickly avoid the attack before leaping into the air and stabbing his sword into armor's opening but the General was expecting it as he rose his shield to block, but not before Gaius managed to draw blood from across his forehead.

"Agh!" Campari grunted as Gaius's sword left a long bloody scar. The thief had barely landed before he was slammed in the side with Campari heavy metal shield. Gaius went flying and groaned as he landed on the sand while still managing to keep ahold of his iron sword. The thief gritted his teeth as he gripped his side, sure that he'd had a few ribs broken. He didn't have any time to recover as Campari stabbed down at him with his shortspear. He barely managed to roll out of the way as the General stabbed where he'd been lying just a moment before.

Getting to his feet, Gaius was able block the second stab at him using his sword, but the force of the blow was enough to cause that blade of his to snap in half. The thief looked at his broken weapon before slowly stepping back still gripping his side.

"Hah! You're still going to continue?!" Campari taunted. "Can't run away to your little Shepherd friends now! The moment you turn I'll put my Spear through your back! An ironic end for a thief!"

'He's right, this is one time when I can't run away,' Gaius thought to himself as he panted heavily while holding his broken sword. 'Can't draw my bow before he attacks me either, I'm in a real sticky situation here…' He gave a quick glance to his traveling pack.

"Why did you come here at all?" the General demanded. "Surely you could've left one of your stronger friends to fight in my place? Were you just looking for heroics and so-called glory?"

"No clue," Gaius said passively as he finally spat out his lollipop stick.

"What!?" the General spat.

"I dunno, ever since I joined the Shepherd's I've noticed myself gettin' different. They're an odd bunch, no doubt about that, but at least they treat each other like family; no ranks, no superiors, everyone lives. And if they let me in maybe I can afford to put in a little effort to this war."

"Tch… you mean to tell me that you're having a change of heart because of some family of bastards and whores!?" Campari shouted. "If they really are your family I'll have to see how they enjoy seeing your head on my lance!"

As the General rushed forward Gaius, the thief took his hand away from his aching side, reached inside his snack pouch, and threw a sticky golden glob from the pouch which hit the General right in the face. Campari grunted as he stopped running and tried to get the glob out of his face.

"What the his is this!?" he demanded with venom.

"Just a melted square of honey, and I think that's the second stickiest one I've ever come across," Gaius said with a smirk as he ran forward. "Enjoy it!" he yelled.

With every bit of the strength he had left, Gaius leapt into the air. With a roar he brought his broken sword down as Campari raised his spear for a final blind stab at the thief, right before Gaius's broken sword was impaled through his head. The General gave a raspy groan through the honey covering his face before falling to the ground.

(End Theme)

"Sw...eet…" Gaius managed to say as he collapsed on his back. The thief gave a weak cough as he looked at his side where he'd been gravely injured by a deep cut from that final stab. 'Guess this is it for me…' he thought as he lay in the sand. 'Not bad though… dying saving the exalt? It beats going stale in some crusty dungeon by a long shot… Wonder if anyone in the Shepherds is going to miss a thief like me…?'

Allowing himself a last chuckle, Gaius let his eyes slowly begin to close. 'What am I saying…? 'Course they... will.'

He felt his body begin to slowly grow warm as the pain faded, he began to thought that this was merely a way of going to whatever afterlife he'd earned, but upon opening his eyes he saw Chrom, Ragna, and Lissa all standing in front of him.

"Don't scare us like that," Chrom told him as he held out his hand which the thief slowly took as he painfully stood. "You alright?"

"Fine…" Gaius said with a pained smile. "I'd be better with some sugar though…"

"Once we get out of here we'll get you some, you've earned it," Ragna told him with a nod.

Gaius smirked. "Thanks Red…"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN! That was a great nap! All those screams really made it worthwhile!" Gangrel said as he made his way out to his podium. "I-! ...Where's my army? WHERE THE HELL IS MY ARMY!?"

"It's over Gangrel!" Chrom shouted to the Mad King. "Phila, now!"

Phila and the rest of the surviving Pegasus knights began flying in through the castle courtyard and started their approach to rescue Emmeryn, who remained unmoving from where she stood on the plank.

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" Gangrel shouted. "SOLDIERS! MERCENARIES! ...Anyone?"

'He's grasping at straws,' Ragna thought. 'We're almost…' His arm gave a sudden powerful burst of pain. "Guh!" 'What hell!? Again!?'

"Ragna look!" Chrom shouted as dark purple magic symbols appeared and glowed with absolute power, in the next instant the courtyard was filled with hundreds of Risen. "Gods no!"

Several of the Risen snarled as they quickly readied their bows. Ragna roared as he quickly cast an Arcfire spell to burn them down and stop them. Even as he cast the spell as the archers finished pulling, he knew he was just an instant too late. He managed to burn away several Risen just as they unleashed their volley of arrows.

(Cue ID (Sorrow) Extended)

"YOUR GRACE!" Phila shouted as she and her Pegasus rider sisters were impaled by the fatal arrows. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as they were struck repeatedly before falling to the rubble filled ground.

"PHILA!" Emmeryn cried with anguish. Several of the crowd that had stayed to watch the battle and the Exalts execution were silent before they continued to jeer, shouting for Emmeryn to die.

"An army of corpses… well I guess beggars can't be choosers THOUGH I'M NOT THE BEGGAR NOW!" Gangrel shouted before unleashing a round of sadistic laughter.

After firing the Risen redirected their arrows towards the two Pegasus riders they saw still breathing; Cordelia and Sumia.

"Shit!" Ragna swore as the time he unleashed a torrent of Arcwind to interrupt the attack and disrupt the volley of arrows. The attack worked and Sumia and Cordelia managed to avoid the few arrows that made it through. Despite his BlazBlue's painful throb, Ragna readied himself to rush forward, trying to bear his way through the agony that was almost enough to make him lose consciousness.

"NOT SO FAST!" Gangrel shouted as even more Risen appeared through the sigils and he pointed towards Emmeryn. "I'M SURE THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LISTEN TO ME! TAKE ONE MORE STEP AND YOUR EXALT BECOMES A PIN CUSHION!"

Ragna was still about to make a break for it, but at Chrom's pleading look he decided to wait.

"Now you've got two choices!" the Mad King shouted. "Either I get the Fire Emblem right here and now and everyone walks home happy, or you let your sister die and I'm the only one who's happy!"

"Chrom you must not listen to him!" Emmeryn shouted. "You need to keep the Emblem safe! My life is of no consequence!"

"But Emm-!" Chrom shouted, hoping to find some way to convince his dear sister.

"Oh cry me a river!" Gangrel shouted. "She talks of self-sacrifice while she can! When it comes time for her to act she'll simply let someone else take the fall for her!"

"...Is that what you think?" Emmeryn questioned; her voice thick with determination. Chrom could only stare as she addressed the crowd. "PEOPLE OF PLEGIA! I CALL FOR PEACE BETWEEN OUR KINGDOMS! WAR ONLY CAUSES BLOODSHED AND SUFFERING WHILE BEGETTING FURTHER WARS! ANY DEATH CAUSED WHETHER TO NEIGHBORS, KIN, OR ENEMIES IS AN AFFRONT TO US ALL! I WILL NOT STAND IDLY BY AND SEE US ALL BURN IN THE FIRES OF CONFLICT!" The crowd went silent. "If the life of a single man or woman can pay the price for peace… then let it be mine and mine alone."

"Emmeryn!" Chrom shouted. He only made it a step forward when he felt a giant gust of wind hit him by and saw the red coat of the man who passed by in his charge into the courtyard.

"YOU BASTARD!" Ragna shouted he unleashed a huge head of the Black Beast from the ground, destroying a large portion of the Risen forces and causing the rest of the to stumble, making them unable to aim at the Exalt. "I WON'T!" Ragna shouted as he cleaved through several more Risen. "LOSE ANYONE ELSE!" The Reaper sent out a massive wave of shadows, disintegrating the countless Risen that were brought in through the sigils to replace the ones he'd destroyed. "NEVER AGAIN!" His arm throbbed further, slowing his movements, putting him in a new degree of pain… he barely noticed as he called down lightning from the heavens. Only one thing mattered: saving his friend.

The Reaper roared as he raised his sword and it became a Scythe before carving it through the Risen armies, but no matter how many he slayed more instantly teleported in enough to overwhelm a small army. Ragna just kept slashing, he was becoming lost in himself, lost in his pain, lost in his fight, that was all that mattered. Emmeryn had ceased her movement staring at awe as Ragna continued his enraged fight for her sake.

"SHEPHERDS ATTACK!" Chrom roared as his friends rushed forward. Chrom was the fastest and made his way to the to the edge of the Risen soldier he roared as he brought Falchion down upon the nearest soldier, only to hear the sickening sound of a dull clang. His blade had been stopped by a barrier that would even block out the air units, a wall of a thin flamelike energy that encompassed Ragna, all of the Risen, Gangrel, and his Sister.

"NO!" he shouted. "They're trying to keep us out they're trying to-!" His blood went cold as he realized that wasn't what they were attempting, they'd already gotten what they wanted. "RAGNA! GET OUT OF THERE!"

But the Reaper didn't hear him, he couldn't hear him, possessed by his own hellish rage and desperation he continued slashing again and again at any Risen that appeared, turning into a complete Berserker by cutting Risen down by the hundreds. He roared he brought his scythe around for another slash... but then it happened. A pure black sigil appeared underneath him that was 50 meters across. Ragna saw it as it shone for only the briefest instance, even his face unable to react in that short of a time.

"GUILTY."

From the sigil arose a massive column of black flames, completely unaffecting the Risen as a whole, but Ragna felt the full blast. All he could do was scream as the flames tore at his body while somehow leaving his attire unaffected. He screamed as his flesh began to peel off, as the Risen swarmed him, stabbing, slashing, and bludgeoning him as his BlazBlue emitted a chaotic darkness that damaged him even further.

"RAGNA!" Chrom shouted as he tried to break through the barrier with the combined desperation of the Shepherds. Weapons struck it, spells blasted it, but nothing they did seemed to cause it to waver. "RAGNAAAA!"

"GET OUT OF HERE YOU IDIOT!" came Ragna's final cry as the flames increased even further in ferocity. Chrom couldn't even see his friend though the legion of undead that was swarming him. Then all at once the flames stopped and the Risen ceased moving.

"OH! THIS! IS! RICH!" the Mad King roared. "HEY YOU STILL MOVING CORPSES! MAKE SURE THEY GET A GOOD VIEW OF HIM!"

At Gangrel's sicken laughter the corpses parted ways, giving Chrom the perfect view of Ragna's body on the other side of the barrier. His skin was torn completely in the parts where it hadn't been rotted away by the spell, his eyes were wide open and bloodshot in an expression of pain and fear, his hair looked like it been torn, his clothes were ragged tatters, and the blood… there was so much blood.

Chrom couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't speak, he could only stare at the corpse in the center of the Risen. The corpse of a man who'd been his dear friend.

"This wasn't- this wasn't supposed to happen!" Robin screamed.

"R-Ragna…" Cordelia stuttered as she looking in from the sky, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. 'I'm glad that you're a part of the team,' he'd said to her.

Lissa was already bawling at the man she'd made a pie with, ate it with, and laughed with. She remembered seeing the him lose control and go into an uncontrollable fit of laughter over something she'd suggested. Maribelle desperately wanted to comfort her best friend, but unsure how to through her own anguish.

"In… a weird way, you what decides on what makes you human. Doesn't matter how you come about; you show that you've got that soul and the part of you that'll never stop fighting, that's all I'd need to see." He'd said that to the loveless bride Elphelt Valentine who was looking at him in as she was using her hands to cover his face to keep from screaming.

'Am I grieving over a human?' Panne thought as she struggled to keep a straight face. 'No… I'm grieving over a friend I trusted and valued.'

'You said I was lucky that I could fight because I didn't want to let my friends down,' Stahl only thought because he was unable to speak. 'Then why I do I feel like I'm the one dying!?'

"B-Buddy," Vaike began crying out. "C-come on it was a good joke, you had me alright? You had me! Y-You can't be stopped! Y-you can't be... JUST GET UP ALREADY!"

'And I was afraid of losing something, now they've taken the last person that might've cared for me,' Aversa thought with devastation.

Gaius, Gregor, Sumia, Donnel, Anna, and Virion merely stared at the corpse while Kellam seemed deeply sorrowed at losing a true friend that could actually see him. Ricken, Sumia and Nowi were weeping over the horrific display and even the passive Miriel and Frederick seemed shaken to their cores.

"Damn it you idiot!" Sully shouted, crying for the first time since anyone could remember. "Don't let this be it! STAND UP!"

'I've lost another friend,' Lon'qu the Feroxi swordsman thought to himself. 'DAMNATION! WILL I NEVER BE STRONG ENOUGH!? WHEN WILL IT STOP!?'

While the Shepherds mourned the loss of a friend Gangrel continued to laugh sickly.

"OH HOW THE MIGHTY HATH BEEN SHREDDED!" he howled before turning to Emmeryn. "IT'S YOUR CALL NOW EXALT! WILL I SEE YOUR DEAD BODY OR WILL I HAVE AN EMBLEM TODAY WITH A SIDE OF MEANINGLESS CLAIMS!?"

"No... " Chrom said, knowing full well what his sister was about to do. "Emm don't do it! Gangrel I have the Fire Emblem right here! Take it! Take it and stop my sister!"

Emmeryn looked down at Ragna's body where it lay, having her own unobstructed view she then looked to Chrom and smiled warmly with her tear filled eyes.

"I'm so sorry… but I can't let this war continue… I was… already a little too late… Don't cry, I'll always be with you… Never forget that..."

Her leap wasn't a long one, but it seemed to last a hellish eternity. Chrom could only scream as much as his lungs allowed him, right to when everyone saw the Exalt's body hit the ground and heard that sickening sound.

THUD

"Winter is so beautiful," Gangrel began with a smile. "Spring's the most fruitful, Summer is the hottest of them all… BUT YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THE FALL!" The Mad King let out a bray of wicked laughter that sent Chrom over the edge.

"GANGREL! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD!" Chrom roared as he rushed forward and tried to break down the barrier which seemed to be starting to fade.

"Hell no boy!" Basilio shouted as he grabbed Chrom's arm. "That wall's disappearing! And soon Gangrel's other armies will be here!"

"LET THEM COME! I'LL KILL THEM ALL!" Chrom shouted as he tried to escaped Basilio's grip.

"Think about what your sister would've wanted!" Flavia shouted as she too tried to get sense into the prince. "Are you really going to throw away everything she stood for right here and now!? Gangrel's time will come, but we have to move!"

"NAGA DAMN IT!" Chrom swore as flung his arms to the side. "Shepherds! Run for it! Run now!"

In such a short span he'd lost his sister, his friend, and he'd had to run with a maniac laughing as he did. Chrom was filled with despair as he left those sands of loss while the barrier slowly faded and Risen began pouring out all while a blue haired masked woman from a dark future left walked away from the sight of so much devestation.

(End Theme)

Meanwhile- The Grimleal Meditation Chambers

Minos's eyes slowly opened as he looked at the entirety of the cult gathered before him.

"The deed is done. Thank you for your cooperation; Grimleal and Dark Mages alike." In the short span of a few minutes all exhausted members piled out of the chambers and the massive crowd began exiting the temple leaving him alone with Minos.

"The Reaper is dead?" he questioned.

"Beyond a doubt," Minos said. "Today was a great victory for our holy cause, even if we did not obtain the Emblem."

"But the Prince and Princess still live," Pharos reminded. "And there's also the matter-"

"Let them come, the Reaper was the most of my worries. No true threats remain to us… not the Prince, not the Princess, and especially not that pathetic interloper... Grima has shown us the truth way to true absolution and we shall forever bask in his glory…'

"As you say…" Pharos admitted. "What are we to do now?"

"Now we move forward and begin the next stage of plans," Minos said. Though you could not see the Hierophant's eyes past the hood, he did seem to notice his second in command and his remaining unease. "What is the matter? Do you have doubts?"

"Only one, the Exalt's final act and the hush it drew over the crowd… You saw it as well as I did through whatever magics you'd placed, you know what this could mean..."

"Indeed I do, her rash actions could play a key role for what we all hope to acquire, and provide us with the necessary tools we need; resentment across the people for their current king's cruelty, a gripping fear of the dark unknown, and a passive cover against Ylisse to name a select few."

"A passive cover?" Pharos questioned the final statement, his arms crossed as he stroked his black beard. "We're not going to crush them while they are so weakened?"

"You saw what the Exalt called for; peace between our kingdoms. If she sacrificed her life to ensure it we'd face great resistance on our own side if we moved to strike them, anyone would see us as warmongers. Besides, you know as well as I do that there is another war to be had on the horizon, one that we need not take part in."

"True…" Pharos conceded. "But it feels like you're doing this less of a way to support the Grimleal and more of a way to honor Lady Emmeryn's last wish."

"Very astute of you; I am doing this to honor her wish… for as long as I can exploit it for my own gains," Minos told him as they walked out of the chambers. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted, there's no other word for it," Pharos admitted as he let out a deep breath. "I doubt I'd be able to cast even the most basic cantrip as I am now and I feel that I'm only second to you in spell casting… That's quite a technique you have, even if it cost all of the Grimleal and the near entirety of the Dark Mages to cast."

"Honestly that spell would not have required them; I knew where and how the Exalt was to be executed, I had us ready to summon the Risen to use as bait, I even drew the sigils last night for the attack and for observing the enemy's movement. I only brought and used the rest of the cult and the mages for additional power."

"But you brought in so many," Pharos said with shook. "There were countless spell casters here today and you're telling me we were borrowing power from all of them?"

"...I wished to sure it would be enough," Minos said passively before seeming to remember something. "That woman that offered us her services the other day, Ravia was her name?"

"Yes I believe so," Pharos nodded. "Shall I fetch her for you?"

"Please do so, there is still much work to be done…"

The Midmire

"Keep moving! We've just about made it to the rendezvous!" Basilio barked to the Shepherds as the group ran along the muddy grounds. Saying that everyone's spirits were damaged would be a large understatement, yet the Shepherds continued to run in their retreat from Plegia.

"Milord, would you prefer to ride on my horse? It would do well to assure your safety," Frederick said to Chrom, though the young prince did not respond. "Milord?"

Chrom couldn't say anything. His head was slumped over as he ran and his cerulean hair seemed to fall to one side because of the constant downpour the rain.

"Chrom, we need you focus," Robin said him as she tried to shake him back to his senses.

"We have a problem over here!" Basilio called out as he brought out his battle axe. Several Plegian fighters had their weapons drawn and more appeared behind them, but at the moment none of them were advancing. "What are they waiting for?"

"They're hoping you will lay down your arms without a fight, as do I," a voice sounded from behind the soldiers. The man the voice belonged to was as large as Basilio and was wearing shoulder pads the appeared to be made of a strange form of bones. He was heavily muscled, had a scar over his right eye (or left… honestly it's had to tell when the portrait changes sides), and despite being bald he had a strong black beard.

"You expect us to surrender after what we've just witnessed today?" Frederick demanded with ire. "I won't hand my life over to the Pelagians while you've slaughtered our friends and companions."

"True, yet Emmeryn would not want further bloodshed," the mysterious leader tried to convince.

"Don't you dare… Don't you dare say her name!" Chrom shouted, his rage boiling over his earlier expression of gloom. The leader of Plegian warriors noticed the rest of the Shepherds bracing their weapons preparing themselves to fight through his men to escape.

"Your rage is understandable," the General tried once more. "But I swear on my life's honor that I'll fight with every fiber of my being that you are all treated fairly."

"Against Gangrel's madness you have no defense!" Frederick shouted. "If we're to die today it'll be with weapons drawn as we fight for our lives!"

The Plegian General was silent for a moment as he studied the two forces, his own and the enemies. He could see the doubt in his men, more than one soldier had come to him for unsurety of hunting men and women who had risked their lives to save their Exalt, only to have her die in front of them. He then saw the Shepherds, who looked like they wouldn't hesitate in slaughtering his men if it came to that.

(Cue Don't Speak Her Name Extended)

"Hmph, if that's how you wish it… tell us all your name, Prince."

"I am Chrom of the Ylissian Halidom."

"Then by my right I, General Mustafa, challenge you to single just combat," Mustafa said, surprising several of his men. "You need only slay me, and my men shall part for you to proceed. Fail in this, and your men must surrender to my forces."

"How are we sure we can trust your word?" Robin demanded. "For all we know you could be just stalling for time so you can-!"

"I accept," came Chrom's voice, though it didn't seem like it was the prince who spoke; his voice was uneven, chaotic, enraged. He stepped forward to meet with the army's General.

"Chrom don't do this!" Robin tried to convince him as she stood in front of him and tried to stop him. "You don't have to fight this out on your own! We're still your-!"

"Move," the prince said as he roughly pushed his tactician out of the way. Robin grunted as she hit the ground before looking at Chrom in fear. Getting up, she returned to the rest of the Shepherds, knowing there was no stopping him now.

As Mustafa readied himself one of his newer recruits, Gallic (the guy from the palace) tried to stop him. "General you can't do this! There has to be another way! We can't just stand idly by and watch you die!"

"I truly wish there was another way," Mustafa told him with a sigh. "Had I the option I'd let these people go, but the king would kill my wife and son as an example. The Shepherds are out for blood. This is meant to be my fight."

"A-are you certain that you can win?" Gallic asked.

"...I don't know, I've yet to face the royal sword style on the battlefield," Mustafa admitted before turning to his soldier. "If the prince wins and the Shepherds escape make sure to look out for my wife and son, they'll resent me for this I'm sure, but they'll understand."

"General!" Gallic shouted as Mustafa left his men to face the young prince.

"He'll be fine," a Jorel, a wyvern rider who had landed, assured him. "The General's the best fighter I've ever seen, he won't lose."

"But then what happens? What happens to them?" Gallic asked sorrowfully. Jorel did not have an answer to that.

"I am General Mustafa of Plegia," Mustafa called to Chrom as he brought out his short axe. "If you wish to keep your life then you must fight for it!"

"I plan to," Chrom said darkly as he was armed with his steel spear and Falchion. The Prince rushed forward and tried to impale the General, but Mustafa blocked the attack and knocked the spearpoint away with his axe before he leapt backwards to avoid the powerful swing from Chrom's Falchion.

Mustafa then roared as he brought his axe down and Chrom's body lurched as he barely blocked it with Falchion. Giving his closeness he tried to adjust his grip on his lance so he could attack during the blade lock, but Mustafa managed to hold him down with a single hand on his axe before smashing his free fist into Chrom's face sending him reeling back.

Chrom grunt as he stumbled back, keeping his sword up to block Mustafa's next swing he managed to do so, but was disarmed of his sword. Roaring he used both hands to drive his lance towards the General, but Mustafa nimbly dodged.

'I'm not fighting a man here,' the General thought to himself before bringing his axe which Chrom barely managed to avoid, yet the lance's tip was hit and shattered. 'I'm fighting a feral beast.'

Chrom roared as he again lunged forward, but Mustafa's swing was strong as it broke his weapon in two and left a shallow gash in Chrom's chest.

"Milord!" Frederick shouted. "All units! We need to-!"

"Don't! He's mine!" Chrom shouted as he threw the pointed pieces of the Lance at his opponent, who managed to block it, but the Prince used that advantage to grab his sword off the ground before charging Mustafa once more as places again clashed.

'Hey, you were willing to take me in when I really didn't have anywhere else to go,' Ragna had told him. 'I'm the guy who owes you.'

Chrom roared as he managed to force Mustafa back before cutting him across the chest with his own sword. The General made a desperate swipe with his own blade which would have decapitated Chrom had he not rolled out of the way.

'You can't answer everything with fighting,' Emmeryn had told him when he was young and had just gotten into a fight with another nobles son. 'I want you to apologize to that boy, you might gain a friend instead of an enemy.'

"You took them from me!" Chrom shouted slashing and knocked Mustafa's axe away before cutting him across the left side with a second slash. "I loved them and they died because of you!"

'Do you trust me?' Chrom hadn't needed to think before telling his friend that he did.

'Don't cry,' his sister had always told him with her soothing voice.

"DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL!" Chrom shouted as he unleashed another slash on the General, this one was poorly aimed and Mustafa avoided it with ease before leaving a deep cut in the Prince's left arm. "Agh!"

"That cut's going to be your end if it isn't treated," Mustafa informed, though he too was panting heavily. "Surrender now, I can't guarantee that you'll live through this fight otherwise."

"Never!" Chrom shouted as he continued to hold his sword in his right hand as he rushed forward and entered another blade lock with Mustafa.

"Like father like son, you've both fallen," Mustafa said with contempt before swinging his axe out of the blade lock and cut Chrom across his thigh, leaving the prince struggling to stand.

"Chrom!" Robin screamed as Mustafa went for the final blow.

'Don't cry, I'll always be with you… Never forget that…'

With the last bit of the strength he had, Chrom roared as he rushed forward and cut the unprepared General in a downward slash. Chrom felt himself get a large rush of adrenaline right before he followed through with a slash aimed upwards, cutting deep into Mustafa's chest and sending out a spray of blood.

"Well done…" Mustafa barely managed to say as he fell to his knees.

(Change Theme To And what if I can't? What if I'm not worthy of her ideals? (Extended))

"General!" several of his troops shouted as they began moving forward.

"Stay back!" he ordered in a pained voice. "He's won…" Chrom said nothing as he held his sword to Mustafa's throat. "Take it; take my life, take your freedom… just promise me you'll leave my men unharmed… they're just followers of a very foolish General…"

Chrom raised his sword, he held Falchion to the heavens, he prepared himself to bring down his blade and sever Mustafa's head from his shoulders, but not before remembering one last important thing he'd been told by the Reaper.

'Can I stand the thought of killing the guy in front of me? What's it going to accomplish? Is it worth it? If you can ask yourself that and still manage to off 'em… Well that's just who you are.'

"...No." Chrom let Falchion fall to his side. Mustafa watched in awe as Chrom sheathed his sword, remembering the feral beast he'd remembered fighting just a moment ago, blood still dripping from the wounds of both warriors, mixed with the harsh downpour.

"You spare my life?" Mustafa asked as one of his medics ran forward with a vulnerary. "Why did you-?"

"Let me get one thing straight," Chrom said with rage as he pointed his finger in the General's face. "The only reason I'm letting you live is because MY SISTER AND BEST FRIEND WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED YOU TO DIE!"

"I… see…" he said as Chrom turned his back to him and slowly staggered back towards the Shepherds. "I'm so sorry..."

At his limit, the Prince finally fell to his knees and began sobbing as he looked up into the sky. He cried for the loss of his sister, his friend, and now he almost let himself kill an innocent man. He was a monster now, a true heir to his father's legacy… though words couldn't explain his feeling as his tactician's arms softly went around his neck and brought his head in for a gentle embrace.

"It's alright," Robin told him in hushed voice. "You're okay now."

"J-just the rain," Chrom said between sobs. "I-it's just the rain…"

"You don't have to act like you invincible," she told him with something of a sad smile. "I'm here for you Chrom… I'm always here for you."

Unable to keep himself in check any longer, Chrom returned the embrace and continued to cry. Frederick was about to remind them that they were still being chased by the Plegians, but after glancing his shoulder and not seeing an immediate threat he decided he'd leave his lord be, if just for the moment.

On Mustafa's side of the battlefield, the troops watched in silence, no one saying anything to disrupt the display they were seeing, Ylisse's crowned prince, crushed by the weight of losing his sister and friend, being comforted by who they could only guess was a dear friend of his.

"...No more," Gallic said as he threw his lance to the ground. Many of the other soldiers looked at the rather inept recruit in confusion. "Gangrel still wants to attack Ylisse after this?! Leave me out of it!"

Many of the soldiers looked to each other in confusion as Gallic tried to remain calm and keep a straight face; what he'd just said and done was treason, pure and simple. He'd have his head on the chopping block seconds after the first person told the king.

"Hated that sick bastard anyways," another soldier said as they threw down their axe and walked off to the side to make room for Ylisse's escape.

"If I die fighting it'll be for General Mustafa, not a madman," a Myrmidon said as he followed suit and unclipped their sword.

Then another person threw their weapon to the ground, then another, and another. Before long the entire Plegian side of the battle was unarmed, only carrying secondary weapons in their sheathes.

"We'd better get moving," Robin finally said to Chrom. The young prince nodded as he slowly stood.

"General," one of the troops said to Mustafa as the unit's medics supported him to a stand. "One of our Wyverns just got back from patrol. There seems to be a convoy nearby, but we're not certain who it is."

"That'd be ours," Basilio decided to inform, earning a glare from Flavia. "What, are they really going to attack us now?"

"We wouldn't," Mustafa assured them. "But though I'm in no position to ask for help, could you allow these men through your borders? They need somewhere to live, and Gangrel is always direct with handling treason."

"So oaf, are you going to make this decision on your own too?" Flavia demanded as she glared at Basilio.

"Not if you make the right one," the West Kahn answered.

"Well then, your men are certainly allowed in Regna Ferox," Flavia told them as she grabbed a personal dagger of hers and handed it to one of the soldiers. "Give that dagger to any man at the border and they'll let you through. Now I'd hurry if I were you, you have families to gather."

"Yes ma'am, but would you mind taking the General with you in the convoy? I don't think he'd be able to keep up with his injuries."

Flavia glanced her head to Chrom who was still being supported by Robin as his sister used a healing stave on him. The prince gave her a rather passive nod and Flavia smiled. "Very well, he's in good hands."

"I trust you," the soldier said before turning to Mustafa. "Don't worry General, we'll find your family and bring them Northside." At Mustafa's nod, the soldier left to gather soldiers to escape to what would hopefully be a more peaceful life.

As the Shepherds parted way with Mustafa's unit and headed toward the convoy they saw Olivia waiting for them at the front. The Prince noticed that she had an odd look on her face and was about to speak out on it when…

"Chrom."

Turning his head in amazement the prince saw her, still breathing, still alive, looking perfectly fine.

"E-Emmy…?" he stuttered, calling her by her old childhood name for the first time in years.

"Emm!" Lissa screamed as she ran forward. Emmeryn barely had time to brace herself before she caught the crying form of Lissa who began sobbing uncontrollably into her sister's dress, The Exalt held the form of her sister.

"Shhhh…" Emmeryn told her in a soft and comforting tone. "I'm alright Lissa, I'm so sorry to have worried you."

"Milady," Frederick said as he stepped forward and bowed. "It's truly a blessing that we have you back… but what happened?"

"I helped... a little…" came Phila's voice from inside one of the convoy wagons. Everyone saw that she was covered in several bandages, most of her armor had been destroyed, and it looked like she'd lost her left eye, but she too was alive.

"Phila…" Chrom began. "No words can express how grateful I am… but what happened how did you escape?"

"I don't remember," she told him with a strained look in her eye. "All I knew is that I wasn't dead on the battlefield and my Pegasus was still barely alive. We managed to catch the Exalt before the fall-"

"But we all saw you hit the ground!" Chrom insisted. "How is this possible and how did you get away without anyone seeing you?"

"I don't know," Phila shook her head. "I lost my Pegasus right before we made it to the meeting point… but I think we had a miracle today…"

"I wouldn't call it that…" Chrom said, his eyes deep with doubt. "Emmeryn for my fifth birthday, what did you get me?"

"Milord," Frederick began. "There's no reason for-"

"A set of dolls," Emmeryn answered surely. Everyone glanced from the Exalt to the prince making sure that she was serious. "He'd wanted me to get him something that we'd do together. On the day of his birthday, everyone gave him practice weapons made of wood while I gave him dolls of cloth once the party was over… I actually still have a few of them my castle chambers."

"And I still have the rest of the set in mine," Chrom admitted before sadly shaking his head and clenching his fist. "That… Bastard… he kept his promise after all…"

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked. When no one answered her question she glanced around the people that were gathered there and froze, a sense of dread creeping up her spine. "Wh-where's Ragna?"

"H-he…" Cordelia began shakily as tears started to well in her eyes once more. "H-h-he… H-he didn't make it... he didn't make it… We couldn't save him… We couldn't.."

Everyone expected Olivia to react how they had, to break down and start crying over the friend they'd lost. She did nothing before turning her back on them.

"Get the wagons loaded," she ordered.

"Olivia?" Basilio stuttered out.

"Get them loaded so we can get out of here," she repeated, not turning to show anyone her tear filled face. "It… it's what he would've wanted."

Chrom nodded mournfully, before long they were on the long road back to Regna Ferox in order to plan the downfall of the King of Madness.

Plegia- Throne Room (Change Theme To Kingdom Hearts II Organization XIII)

"GAH!" a soldier screamed as he was stabbed through the chest. Gripping the blade that had pierced him, he looked up at his attacker. "M-my lord… please… I was only a messenger..."

Gangrel snarled as he channeled his magic into the sword, resulting in a burst of lightning that electrocuted the man the man from the inside. The soldier's entire body jolted as blood began oozing from his mouth and eyes. Eventually Gangrel finally tore the blade out of his flesh, resulting in another spray of crimson before the man fell forward to the floor.

"I have no use for failures like you who only repeat what I already know!" Gangrel spat as he took a handkerchief from his kingly apparel to wipe the blood from his sword. "Not only did that stupid blue haired Ylissian prince escape with my Fire Emblem, now I don't even have the Exalt's corpse to parade around the city! How could that thing be gone? I saw her hit the ground with my own eyes!"

Throwing the blood soaked handkerchief on his most recent victim's face, Plegia's king let out a groan of frustration. "And I needed that Emblem, now how am I going to stop the Valmese invasion? My spy reports they've already conquered Rosanne, how long before that Conqueror decides to go overseas?"

Shaking his head, the Mad King went to his throne and seated himself, resting his head on his fist. He didn't have long; the Conqueror's forces were growing by the day and currently he was the only one who knew anything about the situation in Valm. At best they'd have a half decade if their opponents moved carefully, but most likely they'd have only a year or two.

"S-sire," came an elderly voice.

"Eh?" Gangrel grunted as he opened one of his eyes to address the elderly man in front of him. He was certainly well into his years, wearing a very long and ragged black hooded cloak yet the hood was down, revealing the disheveled, balding man beneath. "Word of warning; I'm in a bad mood right now. Anything you say could set me off and don't think that being old and decrepit is going to save you."

"Y-yes sire…" the old man said nervously. "B-but you wanted to see the c-c-corpse…"

"I thought that we didn't know where the Ex-" Gangrel began before remembering that he'd gotten ONE prize today. The Mad King smiled as he then rose from his throne. "Oh why not? I could use a laugh after the day I had. Lead on old person."

"Y-yes sire," the old man said as he started leading Gangrel down the corridors. Along the way the King found himself on the receiving end of several glares from his servants and a few of the castle guards.

"What's their problem?" Gangrel questioned with a shrug.

"I-it's possible that they are simply shaken," the cowardly man said. "They may not have been expecting Lady E-Emmeryn t-to jump."

"Who care if she jumped? We were going to push her; she did the work for us!" Gangrel roared. "And don't they know that we're still looking for her body!?"

"I-I-I doubt that the people have been informed…"

"Rrrrrrr… well at least we have something to parade around," Gangrel said wickedly as they arrived at the room in the deepest dungeons which held the corpse. The old man opened the door and he ushered himself inside the windowless chamber to see the corpse of the demon that had killed of many of those monsters at the cost of his own life.

Ragna hadn't been giving proper last rites in any terms. They hadn't tried to stitch or cover up his skin to make him easier to look at, none of his blood had been wiped away, and now both of his arms were nailed to an x shaped stand to keep his body standing as his head slumped forward, his blood stained hair covering his face… and oh yes, he was naked.

"Where'd his clothes go? All he's got on is that weird gauntlet," Gangrel questioned. "I rather liked that coat and sword; they'd look good on me while I cut down that stupid Prince from Ylisse."

"I-I may have seen some of your more loyal men with them… I think they were g-gambling with them."

"Really? Well I'll bet they're going to give me that coat when I demand it from their cold dead hands!" Gangrel said as he walked right in front of the Reaper and got in front of his slumped over face. "Hey there buddy… you don't know how happy it makes me seeing you like this," the Mad King said with a sadistic smile before his gaze wandered south for a moment. "...And now I'm pissed. Hey almost corpse, do we have a knife or something I can use to cut-?"

Gangrel then heard the door roughly slam behind. Glancing behind him he saw that the old timer had exited the room, though he'd left his black cloak at his feet.

"Idiot," Gangrel grumbled. "He must be senile to think I can't escape when I've got a magic sword on my side!" Taking his weapon out Gangrel stabbed his Levin Sword at the door, but was surprised when his sword prematurely sent off a burst of lightning as it was deflected from his target. Glaring at the wooden door he was surprised to see it covered in the dark purple sigils from earlier. "The Grimleal!?"

"Typical for an arrogant King," a woman's haughty voice said from the other side of the door. "You really didn't see past my disguise!?"

"I don't know, judging by your voice it wasn't much of a disguise!" Gangrel shouted back through the door before the black flames of the Grimleal started burning away at the door, filling the room with thick smoke.

"You and your insults, it's really no wonder why this kingdom isn't going to miss you, I'd wager that they won't even include an embarrassment like you in our history," the voice on the other side of the door said. "Farewell Mad King."

"Wait damn you!" Gangrel shouted as the flames grew. The Mad King tried striking the walls with his swords, the floor, the ceiling, anything but the sigils appeared wherever he stuck leaving him entrapped in the room as the smoke grew.

"Grima damn it! Naga damn it! Everyone damn it!" he shouted. "I was the only one who could unite us! I was only one that could save us all! ME!" Glaring around the room, his eyes found themselves on Ragna's corpse. "Well it looks like we're going to be burning up together, at least you won't have to feel the flames."

Deciding he'd at least have the last word with something no matter how lifeless it was, Gangrel got right in the Reaper's face. "Just like you didn't have to feel the fires I made when I had those villages torched. In fact, looking at you now I'd say you got off easy! I'm going to die here, but pretty soon everyone else is going to burning from the war! Just like your precious Exalt said before she jumped the plank! WHO'S LAUGHING NOW!?" Knowing he was going to die, Gangrel threw his head back for his last fit madness. "MHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!-URK!"

Gangrel gripped the hand around his neck as he raspily tried to keep his throat from becoming completely crushed. The dead man's demonic arm had pulled itself from the stand with the nails still impaled on it to choke the Plegian King. As the Fell Dragon's fires closed in around the two, the Reaper raised his bloodied head and stared at the rasping Gangrel with a red eye and green one, both filled with incomparable malice and abhorrence.

"RESTRICTION SIX-SIX-SIX RELEASED…"