Cycle

by RoseWarden

Robin is a young woman who bakes cakes during the day, sleeps at night, and drinks on weekends. She does not wage wars, fight demons, or solve dating issues. Yet, somehow by divine mistake, she's found herself doing just that. Clearly, someone has her confused with another Robin...

39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer – I don't own Fire Emblem. All of its properties belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

Warnings for violence

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Chapter 39

"Why does this world compel me to make questionable life choices?" I shriek to the sky as we spiral into another drop. Caeda says something back to me but her words are torn by the wind razoring past us. Her steed tucks in and plummets toward the ground as a wyvern flies past, talons open and searching.

I raise my arm and feel the tip of the rider's spear clash against the spell encasing it. The wind shield is a miniature version of the one Miriel created back in the Arena. A portable, makeshift cover for a mage strong enough to maintain control over its chaotic center. It's literally all I can afford Caeda without tiring me out and that's thankfully enough for her. With me watching her back, she can afford to focus on the attack without finding an arrowhead sticking out of her.

The enemy and I lock eyes over the rim of the shield. She scowls and reins her overgrown lizard up and around.

I lean forward into the double saddle we share and shout over the battle beneath us. "The wyvern rider's coming in for another round behind us!"

Caeda acknowledges me with a quick glance. "Hold tight then!"

She shifts up, nudging the sides of her pegasus with the stirrups. A quick guide of the reins causes her mount to start climbing. My free hand slips tightly around the saddle horn as I steel myself for the next clash of battle.

"Here goes breakfast," I moan quietly under my breath.

The queenly rider pulls us from cloud cover and we burst into the full scene around us. The second battle of the Plegian war is climaxing beneath. The reclamation of the fort began late last morning. Emmeryn honored the rules of war by calling forth the commanding general on grounds of peace. She tried to negotiate for a plea deal but the Plegians would have none of it. Never mind the fort was being held by foot soldiers made of skin and bones. They meant little to Gangrel and Aversa, it seems. More throwaway troops to waste time as opposed to hold us back. My map showed these men and women carried little more than a sword or spear with a leather breastplate for protection. The ranking official bore the air of one accepting her fate. She was prepared to take on this suicide mission. I have to wonder if, much like General Mustafa, she's here to protect her family from Gangrel's threats. What a disgusting individual he is if that's the case.

Ylisse's own collection of siege weaponry is paltry. The one good battering ram we have left is smashing against the doors as we fly. The original was set fire after their archers allowed one to slip past a hole made in our barrier by their wyverns. The wyverns of Plegia are larger and more armored than the Feroxi. They've been a pain in our side since we arrived. To combat this, our pegasus riders have joined in full force with Phila at the forefront. If there is one good thing from all this, having the bulk of the pegasus knights alive is giving us the edge. Ylisse is still a force to be reckoned with. Unlike the games, Gangrel has failed to ambush the pegasus riders and prevented heavy losses to the army by being forced to attack us behind our own walls. With a small part of the Feroxi arriving earlier than expected, Aversa has stepped back to reevaluate the army's position. Gangrel's original foothold has crumbled faster than expected with us countering the surprise attacks 'unexpectedly.'

At this point, the fort will fall. It's inevitable with our own numbers versus theirs. The main goal now is to minimize losses. If they destroy the second battering ram, we'll lose hours of progress. Fort Tyr's high walls make them hard to scale and easy for the multitude of archers inside to keep picking at us. The only efficient way to deal with them is by air. That's great except when you put together that arrows and fliers don't mix! Combating archers and the remaining wyvern legion has caused a unique partnership to form with our mages and clerics. It's a gamble risking two people on one pegasus, but many of the riders have been paired with a magic user capable of some sort of protective shielding. It's to keep off the hail of arrows meeting them from below. It's a tactic both Cordelia and I worked out together when the war table was trying to hammer out a quick solution to the problem. It's worked surprisingly well. Guess I don't suck at this job as much as I used to!

Caeda soars upward and turns us about just as the pursuing enemy bursts in behind us. "Watch for the creature's maw," she warns as she spurs us forward. The spear in her hand slips to a comfortable grip and angles downward. The Einherjar sits aloft just above the saddle and bends in along her steed's outstretched neck. "I'll pull us under the belly and aim for the soft spot between the tail bone and stomach."

"Got it!"

I readjust the focus on my spell. It's so distracting having two different sensations sapping away at you. But having her on the field is more important than you could imagine for the Ylisseans below. Since word crept out about the mythical appearance of the Einherjar at Siege of Ylisstol, the people have been curious. We were slow to reveal them, starting with the army's leaders. Even Raimi, who has no direct ties to the royal family's ancestors, was impressed by the sight of the magical embodiment of two legends. The duo eventually became our own form of inspiring propaganda. Gifts from Naga, Marth and Caeda are called. Having the swordsman on foot and the rider by air brings a hope to the soldiers.

It's also proving to be a great distraction. The Plegians may not exactly know who Caeda is but the attention she's getting gives her an air of importance. It's drawing in wyvern riders and allowing us to keep them off the army. In exchange, the years of my life seem to grow shorter with each scare we get involved in. I've fought more today than any so far. We're racking up a body count. It's sickening and empowering, having that much prestige. I take no pleasure in it, finding solace in the fact that it's saving the lives of the Ylisseans instead.

It's a good thing I wore gloves because my hands would have slipped with sweat off the sole bit of assurance I have to hold on to. Caeda's pegasus dives forward with a whinny that's loud. It ends is a shuddering snort that seems to dare the creature before us. A deadly game of chicken is about to ensue.

The wyvern flaps once and rears up, throwing its long and snakelike neck up into the sun. The cry is piercing and high, an echo of a dragon's roar. Though weaker, it is no less intimidating.

Its rusty hide shines like blood and the muscles beneath it pump with exertion as it speeds toward us. The rider is heavily armored and her spear long. It's made to pierce armor and bone. A direct stab from that thing head on could go through the whole of my spell. I hope Caeda knows what she's doing to avoid that. I just have to watch the rows of serrated knives coming at us.

My grasp on the saddle horn tightens as I push more magic into the spell. The air around me pulls into the swirling shield like a magnet. The spell brightens and grows double in both size and girth.

The two beasts drive toward each other. Seconds before we clash, Caeda drops out into a quick descent. My stomach loops and I can feel her pegasus strain as it tucks and rolls beneath the beast. The propulsion of the move plasters us against the steed's body, wings closing around us like a protective barrier. In the tiny space between feathers, Caeda watches the underbelly go by. Her spears shoots out with surgical precision. The point cuts right into the wyvern's body, straight between creases in the leathery skin. She retracts her weapon just as fast and her pegasus straightens out with a majestic spread of its wings.

Blood spurts out heavy from the spot she stabbed and the agonized cry of the wyvern roars out of it. The head whips around as the body moves separate from its rider's command. The open mouth comes snarling and frothy at us. I hold the air in my lungs as I twist in my seat. The stench of rotten meat is all I smell as its hot breath washes over me. With a great heave of my arm and a defiant grunt, I solidify the spell. I whip my arm out and backhand the tip of the beast's snout causing it miss the pegasus' leg by a few inches. It shakes its head in shock and snarls at the empty air as we glide away.

Caeda takes her spear and tucks it under her arm. We fly up fast and flip around with amazing grace. Her finesse really is something to marvel at. It's beyond most skills I see in the pegasus corps. We bend and move so nimbly that it's hard to imagine such aerobatics coming from a horse with wings.

The Plegian barely gets her own mount together. The back of the wyvern sags and one leg seems to slip a little. She recovers just barely, forcing the beast onward to a belated start. Caeda has more speed and this little jousting match will only end in the other's favor if her spear skill surpasses those of the Talys native.

For extra protection, I bring up both hands and let the spell's light engulf both hands. The piece morphs under the image in my mind, growing slender and long. The tower shield stretches before me and I dig into the stirrups. Steadying myself, I watch and wait for the wyvern's own actions.

The rider mirrors Caeda in her own aggressive stance. She stands in the saddle and leans hard to the right with her own spear out. My partner adjusts quickly to the development, the staff of her weapon shifting in a way barely noticeable. Her gaze is locked intently on the rider and she leaves all other responsibilities in my hands.

We close in fast and the wind is a thunderous roar as one final burst propels us forward. I sway with the turbulence and buckle in against the force about to hit me. I throw my full attention on the beast, trusting Caeda to do her own job. The lance is going for Caeda' s left side so I stay to the right. This is probably dangerous, basically air surfing. I'm balancing pretty precariously.

Like I said, poor life choices today.

Caeda's pegasus dives in close to the wyvern. Its head pulls back and I swipe my hands apart. Raising them over my head, I meet the wyvern at the exact angle of attack. It tries to take a chunk out of the hindquarters of the pegasus, but it only finds resistance as I reach out to block it. The spell bends inward under the weight of the creature's head and it jars my arms so hard it feels like the bones are sinking into other bones. Two halves of different expletives slip out of me as I bend back under the shock, nearly going completely over the saddle. My heels push desperately against the footholds as I hold back against the power of the impact. I see splinters forming in the center of my spell as sharp teeth gnash away. The infinite second that's enveloped our collision ends as time reverts to a normal speed again.

We soar past each other and the other rider's pained scream follow after them. I catch a quick glance of dented armor and the woman hanging upside down. Her leg twists oddly as she sways back and forth under her mount. The ensnared ankle is the only thing keeping her aloft from the foothold. The slack on its restraints causes the beast to fly off in panic, self-preservation overtaking its desire to fight. Wyverns are hard to train and harder to break. I heard from the Feroxi that it's not uncommon for a wyvern to do what it wants if the rider loses control.

I feel a tug on my coat and find Caeda turned about, holding me so I don't fall off. I sink back to the saddle and disperse almost all of the magic to ease my now throbbing lungs from the pressure.

"Impressive work!" the queen responds jovially before facing frontward.

"Speak for yourself," I holler back. "You completely unseated that wyvern rider! In one swoop!"

"The knights of your time are no less different than mine. The same tactics apply!" I hear her laugh slightly. "If anything, they are much slower. Minerva would be ashamed of such discipline."

I jog my memory over my lore. Minerva was a princess and head general from a neighboring nation who allied with Marth's army during their times of war. She was quite the leader and famous for her skill. Marth even honored her by naming the largest free-flowing river after her, along with its tributaries in honor of her fabled Whitewings. It's no coincidence Cherche might have brought the same name up as an option for her own wyvern to use.

We glide along the edge of the battle and scope out the area. Caeda's skill has helped us cull the aerial numbers greatly. I'm noticing more of our heraldry than Plegia's. Several of our fliers, protected by their cleric's barrier, have laid siege on the walls. They've been dropping nets soaked in a flammable oil that our own archers ignite with burning arrows. We've successfully set one whole wall ablaze. The repairs to the battlements might take a while to recover after this, but it's the price we chose to pay for a faster win.

Ahead, the largest wyvern of the squadron continues to lay the heaviest resistance. The commander of the fort flies with reckless abandon. As I said before, she's wholly accepting of her fate. Her only objective is to win or take down as many as she can before dying. Her bronze colored wyvern is held aloft by a wingspan that's two times the size of the others. Numerous scars rack its body and her own armor is dented and the paint scraped raw with the wear of battle.

Two sets of familiar faces have engaged with the commander. Sumia and her partner Ricken stand out like a rainbow against the bright blue of the sky. Sprinkles is a very, very vain pegasus and refuses to go anywhere without some sort of decoration threaded through her hair. Usually this is multiple ribbons or bows wound tightly into her braided mane so they don't get caught up in battle. Cordelia rides alongside Miriel and their equally bright shades of red hair blow wild in the breeze. Her pegasus, Catria, is a smaller build than Sprinkles, but both move with the same speed and agility. Ideally, Sumia would have been shifted to an attack squadron and Cordelia scouting, but the former's Shepherd background and the latter's natural adaptability have allowed them to train equally well for either field. Sumia's training has almost completely been under her friend's watch and their shared experience mimics each other.

I call out for Caeda to go join the rest of the Shepherds and we swoop in for backup. Sumia's inexperience for close up combat has her playing the role of decoy. She flits about making feints to grab the commander's attention while Cordelia is the one to go in for an attack. By now they've figured it won't work to try and take down the wyvern.

Ricken's wind mastery has allowed him to wrap his mount in a faint wind sphere protecting her on all sides from any stray arrows that may come their way. It's rendered him useless otherwise as he's got his head down and all concentration pouring into the dome around them. Miriel, on the other hand, is fighting to keep her pages down as she works offense alongside her partner. Her electric attacks are the preferred medium as they handle better in the air than fire.

Sumia plays a dangerous game with the front head of the wyvern as Cordelia dodges the whipping tail and commander's spear from behind. Flying in, Caeda points out another enemy coming in across from us at the same time. Dispelling my own magic, I swap to my thunder tome. The thin pages flutter defiantly and I push down the corners with my elbows. The rider wears no helmet, an advantage I make to my riding partner. My aim isn't as seasoned as the others when it comes to incorporating wind speeds and all the other wonders of physics. But Caeda boasts superior handling skills and I have faith she can take me in close enough to deliver a blow.

My eyes rove over the runes on the page and my hand flexes partly closed to encase the power growing in it. The sparks funnel around and around to start forming a thin shape. The electric dart is a small projectile meant for a quick incision or a small target. It packs a wallop dumping a high amount of stored energy into the spot of impact.

"Robin, be careful of yourself," Caeda warns as I feel the icy chill of numbness starting to creep up my spine.

"I know my limits, don't worry," I reassure her shakily. My fingers lock tighter to prevent them from twitching under the stress. "Just get us in quick. Cordelia doesn't even know he's coming."

"Neither will he," she states firmly.

Our pegasus dips down under a cloud and pursues our target from beneath. We're momentarily blocked from view, approaching at a sharp curve. Our path of intersection is clear but the distance is what worries me.

"This will be close encounter," Caeda warns over her shoulder. "You must make your move count. We will not get another easy opening after this."

"Believe me," I say, palm shuddering with power, "I intend to."

Caeda takes us through a cloud and everything muffles. For a brief moment, we're offered some respite. Cool wisps of precipitation brush our faces and settle in our hair. Everything is white and pure.

Bright light envelops us as we cut through the other side, puffy trails twisting behind us. The sun blinds me momentarily as we ride straight into it. My eyesight adjusts as a long shadow crosses our path, the halo of light behind illuminating it.

"Now, Robin!"

Caeda pulls heavy on the reins and presses the sides of her pegasus with her heels. We rise up sharply and I find all the blood rushing to my head. Her mount loops sideways as we pass right over the wyvern rider. He's surprised and his head quickly turns up, eyes bugged out in shock. We're so close I could reach out and touch him. Caeda's timed our glide exactly to the downbeat of the wyvern's wings and we fly freely past. I let my hand go and the spell shoots downward to the crown of his unprotected skull. I catch a whiff of singed hair as we swoop away. The rider jerks like a doll as he convulses under the intense voltage running through his frame. He sags without a sound over his saddle as the wyvern screeches in freedom. It promptly changes course allowing Cordelia to move out of the way.

She pulls in beside us, the tempo of Catria's wings matching our own.

"Well," she breaths, quickly rotating her shoulder to shake back a part of her ponytail, "that was something."

Miriel's uncovered bob pops out. She's given up her hat for practical reasons. Her scrutinizing gaze flickers over every aspect of Caeda's form. "Indeed. The intervention was most gracious of you."

"Looked like you needed back-up. We're just here to offer an extra set of hands," I respond.

"We could use it." Cordelia looks hesitantly at Caeda, as if struck by the queen's visage. She lowers her head in thanks. "Your Grace. Your presence here is an immense honor. Having you fight alongside us would be a dream."

"The time for titles has long since passed. I am but a warrior like yourself. Caeda will suffice," the fellow rider corrects gently. It only causes Cordelia to look even more humble.

"Of course," she murmurs sincerely.

"So, you've got yourselves fighting the big boss. You have a plan or are we just winging it?" I wait earnestly for a response but the joke goes right over both of the knights' heads.

Miriel peeks around Cordelia's shoulder again and looks downright insulted. "While I applaud your attempt for a meaningful witticism, I find the moment wholly undue for such tomfoolery."

Tough crowd.

Another set of wings join as a shadow descends beside us. Sumia settles into the group, Ricken's spell coming down around them.

Sumia starts to say something but she goes slack-jawed at the sight of Caeda. Ricken peeps out a very loud "Holy Naga!" before bashfully sinking into his thick mage cloak.

"M-my Lady!" Sumia stutters in shock.

Caeda's not bothered at all by how she's being regarded. She seems rather tickled by the attention and continues to play it off with her usual air of kindness. "Caeda is just fine," she repeats again, no less friendly than before.

"Ah," Sumia nods weakly. Her fingertips drum sporadically against her steed's neck as she chokes on what to say to this legendary figure.

"Sumia! Look out!"

Ricken's call of warning echoes just as his spell goes back up. The tip of a javelin sinks a good couple inches before the tip snaps off and the wooden staff splinters under the whirling sphere. Sumia stares in shock at the remains of the weapon that would have punctured her a second before.

I whip my head around and find the commander of the fort watching us, hand still extended from her throw. The case hanging at her side is half empty and she still retains her main spear in one arm.

"I suppose that means she's still not willing to negotiate?" I ask grimly.

"She wants nothing to do with us," Ricken answers, his voice slightly distorted from beneath his spell.

"She refuses to speak save for threats to ending us. This will be a fight to the death," Cordelia continues.

"It's so sad," Sumia concludes, something we're all thinking. I think we'd all prefer to negotiate a peaceful ending but that's the hardships of life.

"Sad or not, she's made her choice. If she goes down, the fort will too." Magic tingles under my fingers, itching to unleash. ""We don't have another option if we want to end this fast."

" Robin, would you direct us to your choice of stratagem?"

Miriel's request throws me off and I gawk at her. "A plan?"

Oh yeah, plans. Right. I need to get use to people looking to me for this. Probably a lot faster too. The enemy commander is gearing up to charge us. Not like she's going to wait for us to talk out how to beat her on the field. We split three ways as the Plegian tries to intercept us. Time to brainstorm.

Curious about the newcomer, she follows after Caeda and I. Her pace is aggressive and she maneuvers around. She rides her beast on a draft to sail overhead. She readies her arm and I shout for my partner. Caeda barely glances up, pulling her pegasus to coast sideways. The spear point dashes down into emptiness. I charge up another volt as Caeda brazenly pulls us up and along the wyvern.

She's a woman no more than fifty. Her tanned skin is marred with battle scars and there's a resigned defiance in her eyes. This is a warrior who lived through the Exalt's war. A woman embroiled to the machinations of the Grimleal. A hostage to her king's ambitions. How much of this battle is her choice?

Despite it all, I still have job to do just as she does. My spell flies, crossing the space between us. Before hitting her, her wyvern's tale lashes out before her. The spell smashes into the scales and the glow of electric currents disappear between them. It rumbles in pain and the tip hangs limp before shaking to life. Satisfied with our skill level, the commander backs away to reassess the situation.

In doing so, Cordelia and Sumia launch a surprise attack together. They ride up in sync behind the retreating boss. As they close in, Sumia drops out from beside her friend and slows. Cordelia takes the lead and swoops in with a shot at commander.

The Plegian is no slouch and she pulls the bulk of herself out of the way. Cordelia's weapon smashes into the top of the wyvern's thick hide before she abruptly jerks left. Right behind not even a second later comes Sumia. Her own spear shoots downward in the same exact spot and she manages to break through a bit of the scale.

The wyvern recoils and the back legs writhe in pain. Its rider keeps it in control and she looks back over her shoulder. Her face clouds darkly as the two circle overhead.

"They move perfectly together," Caeda notes with respect to the friends. "They fly round each other in such harmony, anticipating each woman's moves."

"The two have been training together for years. Sumia says she considers Cordelia the sister she never had," I say, recalling the former's fond description of their friendship.

"So it is." Caeda stalls our return to battle by taking extra long going around. "I wonder if such a feat this early would be possible?"

"You have an idea?" I ask.

"I have no doubt I can easily follow their movements. An Einherjar reflects the absolute best of their discipline and can adapt quickly as needed. If us three can maneuver as one, we may have a chance to deliver a debilitating blow to the wyvern."

Now that gets my attention. "Something like that is going to take a lot of force."

"And precision," she adds. "It should come as no surprise that I have spoken greatly with your friends many cycles past. I had wished to know how the knights of this era trained. Were they like those I once rode with or had they adapted to their own new and foreign form? I was surprised to find that the pegasus corps had held strong to tradition. Their roots lie in Medon though elements from my own home island have been incorporated in. This includes unique training exercises that imitate old formations of ours. "

"You've got a specific move in mind?"

She pulls us to a stop, hovering just out of range. She speaks quickly given how little time we have to act. "Yes. There is an old maneuver that was perfected by Medon's own Whitewings, their most elite order of pegasus knights. Even I could do naught but marvel at their skills. And among their greatest knights were a trio of sisters. Their skill surpassed none save for their general. In their time, they developed a special coordinated attack."

Realizations hits. I know exactly what she's talking about. This is a specific game mechanic that the three sisters, Palla, Catria, and Est could perform together when guided to specific nodes on the map. If they sat around the enemy in a three point formation, they could attack all at once for massive damage. It could be useful, but the act of trying to arrange them perfectly made it more annoying than beneficial to attempt. But reality does not reflect fiction. I highly doubt this will be anything but helpful if Caeda's is talking about what I think she is.

"Are you talking about the fabled Triangle Attack?" I press anxiously.

Caeda's eyes light up and she seems pleased with my knowledge. "Ah, you are aware of that! I garnered from your memories you have some depth of knowledge toward our history, yet I did not know how deep it ran."

"I'm no rider but even I've heard that's a pretty tricky move to pull off. You need the right talent level to get the angle of attack right." I look to the two opposite us. Her earlier tone seemed hopeful toward their abilities. "Are you saying Cordelia and Sumia can pull it off?"

"They have attempted such feats while in training but never in battle this soon." Caeda turns in her saddle and explains her reasoning as sincerely as she can. "However, I see the way those two move. Your fellow Shepherds, Cordelia and Sumia, move as the sisters Catria and Est once did. They have already mastered the art of flying together."

Do my ears deceive me? That's high praise coming from a legend like Caeda. I need to have Sumia hear this. Maybe it will finally help build her confidence! "So, what do I tell them? Is there some sort of special set up to this?"

"The trick of it lies in the coordination of the riders. Three knights attack the same point of impact within seconds of each other. There is an exact seven second frame between the spear points with each following behind the other at the same precise angle from three sides."

She nudges us into gear again, her arm stretching out to point at the rampaging lizard just beyond us.

"There is a point on the wyvern's back where the spinal column crosses the nerves that connect to the wings. If the point is ruptured, it will lose control of its ability for flight and balance."

I nod, getting her plan. "Performing the Triangle Attack could have enough power to break the hide and pierce through, thus rendering the creature immobile. If it can't fly, it'll drop. And a fall from that high could kill a person."

"Precisely!"

The elation of the plan fades slightly. While the move is powerful, it's also risky. If those two women have only practiced these rounds on the training field, and never with a permanent third member, it could wind up bad for everyone. I want to know Caeda is almost certain this has a high chance of success.

"Even with their experience, are you certain Sumia and Cordelia can do something that advanced on a moving, thrashing target, let alone with you as a new partner? I don't doubt your skill but their ability to feel each other out goes two ways, not three."

"I can only trust what my eyes see and what brief memories of battle I have. Your Shepherds have successfully performed and perfected it before far into their careers."

"Alongside you?" I inquire.

"No." There's a silent beat before she speaks softly. There's something sad about the way she explains herself. "There was a third but she is no longer here, if your memories speak the truth."

Well how many other pegasus knights were in the Shepherds? We have-

Ah.

"Cynthia," I murmur.

"We must not worry Robin," Caeda tries to cheer me on. "I will perform the third part as needed. Cordelia has the proven to have the sharper eye and can follow my lead into the formation. As either can adjust to their partner, Sumia may conclude the trio."

I really don't have time to feel down about the missing girl. Caeda is right. She can fill that void for now. What I want to solve next is any error margin I can for the plan. Their lack of experience on this is the biggest factor. Having an advanced rider fly around like that will make it harder to pinpoint. I've got a plan but it's going to take an extra rider and some synchronized magic of my own.

"You think we can improve our odds if I can get the wyvern stationary, even if for a few seconds?"

Caeda pulls her pegasus on an air current and we close in on Cordelia. "What is it you have in mind?"

I nestle the thunder tome deeper into my lap, fingers slipping between the numerous bookmarks I have sticking from its pages. I've got just the spell in here somewhere. "Earlier on I saw one of the elder Archons stun a smaller wyvern just for a few seconds. With a thunder spell, he was able to paralyze its limbs. And when I hit the commander's a bit ago, the tail seemed lax after the attack. Only for a second given how much tougher the skin is, but it happened all the same. I'm thinking a large enough spell can stun the creature. It won't be enough to let it fall to the ground, but it could buy you time to set up and aim on a target that isn't trying to dodge or bite."

Cordelia sees us coming in and disengages from the enemy. Sumia and another new rider have the current attention allowing us a brief moment to waylay the plans. While we glide in, Caeda looks back to warn me. "You will need a spell of great magnitude. A wyvern is not as resistant as a pegasus, but their hide is thick enough to withstand most attempts. I have seen even our strongest mages require great spells to fully pierce one."

I figured that. But...

"You ever have a trio of mages try a Triangle Attack?" I grin back at her.

The queen tilts her, a curious smile playing on her lips. "No, but I believe I am about to."

It's true that alone I couldn't do anything. I have yet to properly graduate to the next level of magic tomes. But imagine someone advanced like Ricken attempting a spell against the wyvern with a master like Miriel and me for the extra spell power. The three women are all riding with mages who have worked together. Miriel's style has been passed down to Ricken and I. We know her motions much like Sumia and Cordelia can read each's flight patterns.

While we close in, I turn chunks of pages. Miriel experimented once with the chain lightning spell. It was an advanced exercise. She kept bouncing the spell back and forth between the two of us to help teach me better control of the natural current of thunder magic. Whenever I lost focus, the spell broke and shocked me. To pass the test, I had to exchange it to her several times building it in power with each rotation until we expelled it safely into the conduit in between us. Now imagine throwing that spell between three mages before blasting it into our conduit, the wyvern. I think we could shock it long enough to allow all three riders to climb up and deliver a blow to it.

It doesn't take long to pass along the plan to each member. It's actually convenient the unknown rider came in. The Feroxi man is all too glad to help. The large gouges left in his own beast's right flank has him seeking blood. Unlike the Plegians, the Feroxi bond tight with their rides. Bound for life they like to say. Some wyvern actually outlive their partners and have been recorded to nest for the remainder of their years at the rider's burial ground. Needless to say, he eagerly agrees to play bait for us. His war cry rings loud and feral as he charges the Plegian. I catch a look of suspicion toward our retreating forms but her attentions quickly focus to the savage attack the Feroxi is invoking on her.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Ricken asks cautiously, staring at the crackling runes sizzling at his fingertips.

Miriel leads the spell. Her composure seems calm as ever but the smallest amounts of her scientific curiosity is slipping through. There's a dangerous glint in her focused eyes and a swifter, sharper stroke to her hands. The senior mage only gets like this when she's particularly invested in a new discovery.

The spinning circle of electric energy forms between her two separated hands, held as gently as a child between them. She looks over the rim of her glasses at Ricken and I can see the magical sparks reflecting in her eyes as if it were her own power. "My most astute pupil, what is it I most often dictate upon our ascertainment of the unknown?"

The younger student sulks into himself, a shared look of misery shared between us. It's a mantra we both know from heart and one we share a lot of clean up duties over. "The pursuit of science without risk is little more than reaffirming someone else's work. One cannot push boundaries without pushing themselves," he repeats in a dead tone of monotony.

"Exactly!" she utters proudly.

The light in her hands magnifies with little warning. The air crackles with static and I can feel the ions in the atmosphere reverberating with her magic. There's a flash of white-hot light and something arcs between both pegasus knights before me. Ricken barely catches himself, the force of the spell almost lifting him from his seat. His left hand catches it and the other barely pushes the circling spell back at her. His voice is high-pitched in alarm as he tries to say something but it gets lost in the explosive searing between them.

Sprinkles startles under the sound and Sumia does everything she can to keep her steed from tearing off in fear. The pegasus bucks once causing Ricken to lose the pacing. The bulk of the next round goes spiraling off into the clouds. The remaining static explodes over him and he yelps at the shock. Some of his ginger colored strands have shot up in reaction.

"Nice look, Ricken," I laugh. He gives me a flat glare before Miriel firmly interrupts us. It takes another round to get going between them before they feel confident enough to integrate me in. The whole time we try, the three pegasus knights are arranging themselves as well. Their placement is more important than our spell casting. Where they position themselves apart from each other is the exact spacing they'll need to pull off this move. Us mages have to work our spell around them because they'll be flying us at the exact distance they settle on.

Caeda's instructions to the others are lost to me in their own military jargon. That's fine, I have to focus on the spell we're weaving. We've ducked behind cloud cover trying to work this as fast as we can. From the screeching beyond us, it sounds like a few more of the Feroxi have joined their friend. The deepest roar continues to persist reminding us that the Plegian commander has yet to fall. The wailing shrieks of the smaller wyverns persist to their continuing death count.

"Ah, fudge!" I wince as I nearly lose my concentration. The spark of a wild fiber numbs my pinky and creates a rippling echo of pain internally. Caeda's worrying glances reminds me that I'm getting close to my peak. No kidding.

The bulk of the power passes to Miriel and it lights bright under her constant fueling of energy. She's starting to perspire under the stress of her work but remains ardent on continuing the rhythm. It swirls in an arc to Ricken, then me. The powerful cluster is a ticking bomb and I feel my heart leap every time I pass it through. The spell goes faster and faster through our hands as if it were jumping between several Tesla coils. It blurs into a blue-white ring of neon light. One wrong move and this thing will kill a normal human. It's taking every ounce of concentration I have to keep this moving. I'm unblinking as I stare at it over and over. I barely hear Caeda over the buzzing in my own head.

"Hold tight, Robin!"

I look up when I feel the pegasus beneath me move. Sumia, Cordelia, Caeda all move together. Their pace starts slow as they rise up into different positions, Caeda rising above the other two. The ring we made wobbles as Ricken and I falter with the movement. It loses its perfect shape instead becoming more elliptical in its path as the orb goes wide between the two of us.

Our riders try to slow to help adjust to the factor of movement working against us. More importantly, I hear Miriel's voice over all else. She uses the same voice as in our lessons. Helpful, firm, guiding. Her even tone works well to her advantage as a teacher. The fluid calmness is easy to hear and lacks the rising and lowering of emotions that can speed up your heart with worry. Once again, Caeda and I fall back into trusting the other with their role. I focus solely on Miriel's instructions leaving all faith I have in Caeda to keep me safe and guide me to our target.

The sight of our spell is something from science-fiction. It's hard to describe, let alone believe in it. It continues to grow stronger and faster, reminding me of the power I continue to control and guide. A powerful aspect of nature balancing precariously between three individuals.

Our speed picks up faster and faster. The clouds that once hid us disappear and the open skies are all we have. Ahead, the fort's large guardian continues to wage war. The bronze hide is streaked with blood and the rider upon it stands bent but unwavering. Four Feroxi wyvern riders and an Ylissean pegasus knight confront it. I think that's Phila!

Our emergence causes a stir. It's hard not to notice the loud, crackling spell ring zooming at them. There's a piercing whistle that comes from Cordelia. The notes rise and fall in a quick, staccato manner. Though I don't recognize the meaning behind it, I know what's she's doing. Pegasus knights have a system of specific notes they use hidden to themselves. They are meant to pass messages to other squadrons quickly for attack patterns and changes in battle. Usually they're rudimentary. Retreat. Attack incoming. Backup needed.

Whatever it is Cordelia passed to her commanding officer, the message is heard loud and clear. Phila quickly swoops up between the other riders and directly takes on the boss. The others up and follow her! It seems the Feroxi have defaulted to her superiority and they display a tight formation. Phila is a heavy strike hitter. Her massive steed is fitted in the same silver armor as she and they are a gleaming streak against the sun. The riders behind her dash apart as she shouts something, spear arm raised as she points them about.

I break eye contact as we dip and turn in sudden response to Cordelia's words. Apparently Phila is going to attempt to herd the commander straight for us. We'll attack from straight under and ride up into formation after letting lose the spell. Whether it stays stunned or not will be the ultimate test.

Curious as I am to watch, I can't. The spell is too powerful, too massive to do anything else. My arm muscles are starting to cramp and my lungs retract from the labored length of my breathing. Sweat drips down my nose and my eyes go fuzzy staring so long into my hands. We're entering into the final phases of the plan. My part means I have to listen for Miriel's call for release. If I lag even one second behind them the spell could splinter.

The pegasus dives and I hear all three women constantly in check with each other. They continuously call out, whether in guidance or support. They adjust when another lags or change their slant when they start to slip from formation. Caeda's abilities are supernatural at this point with how well she adapts to the situation. As leader, she guides the other two into something that may be otherwise impossible.

I'm going cross-eyed with each blur. The sounds of snarling, reptilian resistance is close now. The temperature drops and a massive shadow overtakes us. My breath catches because I subconsciously know what's about to happen.

In perfect alignment, I see two sets of wings opposite me ascend upward, our giant ring encasing the surrounded wyvern. Our allies scatter and we rise faster than a tide. Pressed from all sides, the Plegian had no where to go but up. Smaller and quicker, we easily catch up and surpass it.

My heart beats heavy in my ears.

"Release!"

The first syllable of Miriel's word echoes just as the final pass extends from Ricken to me. The second finishes as I heave it to her. Perfect timing on her part.

I don't even realize how fast we are scaling until I let go. The ring snaps from my grasp returning to Miriel's possession once more. Caeda climbs faster and higher than the others and I watch Miriel's last push. The orb collects in her palm trailing blue the whole way. The runes around her shatter in a bright spray and the ball bursts out from her palm. The orb shoots forward and slams straight into the middle of the wyvern's chest. The rider leaps up and balances perfectly in her saddle, the magic resistant material protecting her from the surges bouncing over the creatures skin. The ring around it shatters, sparks shooting out both in and outward. Tiny lightning arcs jump about the skin and split every which way as it bounces off and around the protective hide. It thrashes in place and the wings spasm as it tries to stay afloat. Claws scratch at the skin wherever it can.

And we continue to climb. Caeda, Cordelia, then Sumia fly one after another from three perfect angles. When we reach the height of our ascent, we U-turn upside down and prepare for the free fall into our target.

Oh gods. This like just like the time I rode Splash Mountain in Disney World. You get to that little pause right before the big drop and everything in you just sinks into your intestines. My fingers dig into the saddle and I withhold the urge to scream bloody murder. I'm retiring from aerial stunts after this. I swear.

I clench my jaw together but that doesn't prevent my muffled whine as we dart downward. I understand why this requires skill. The point of our descent is maddening. She flies at an inhuman speed, my eyes burning with tears as we jettison toward the sinking target. If I didn't know the formula behind this, I'd say Sumia, Cordelia, and Caeda were going to crash into each other. We literally form three perfectly distanced points of a triangle. If all is right, their spears should pass within a hairsbreadth of each steed as we cross each other.

This. Is. Ridiculous! I feel like I'm going to slip off at any moment.

The wyvern comes up closer than I imagined, barely three blinks and suddenly we're there. Everything is a blur. I think I see Caeda move. I'm too busy holding on for my life to notice. My instincts flair to life and I can feel the rush of wind and the thunk of a spear ghost by my back as we retreat. The flick of Cordelia's hair catches the corner of my eye.

My stomach lurches and all my attentions go elsewhere. I bend over the saddle and squeeze my watering eyes shut. My breath hitches and the unmistakable churl in my gut marks the inevitable.

I can hear the frantic, ragged flapping of wings. The beats are mismatched and I think I hear it getting farther away. There's a wild screech of reptilian pain drowning everything else out. Not that I care. It's hard to notice anything at the moment as another round of acid bubbles up.

"Robin. You mustn't push yourself so," I hear Caeda chide.

"Not that," I speak weakly. I try not to urp as I squeeze my eyes shut. "Gonna be sick..."

"Oh!"

Her surprise turns quiet as I slump back over. My breakfast finds its way out as we coast horizontally. Caeda's concerned words are blocked out my own retching and the desperate keening of the wyvern behind us. I think my partner alerts someone as she pulls us away from the action.

I groan long and feebly. "N...never again."

"Robin?"

"Did we do it? Is the wyvern down?"

There's a long pause as she rubs by back. "Yes. We did it."

"Rad."

I puke again and this time it hits the side of her pegasus.

She knickers at me in disgust. I really can't make a good impression on these pegasi, can I?

---

"Sweet grass! Bountiful dirt! I could kiss you!"

I fall off Caeda's saddle in a great heap. I press my forehead to the ground and drink in the earthy smell. I've never been so happy to see sod before.

Caeda's laughter drifts behind me as she climbs down. Cordelia and the other Shepherds settle beside us and the other mages eagerly hop off as well.

With the leader fallen and the fort's door bursting in shortly after, we called our victory some point near the beginning of the evening. Mopping up the last resistances ended with the surrender of the remaining Plegians. Unlike Gangrel, Emmeryn is more than happy to accept a white flag. I honestly don't care whose left, if the leader survived, or anything else. I'm taking a few minutes to savor the feeling of my feet on the floor again.

Footsteps grown closer and I find Sumia crouching down beside me. She extends her hand, a healing vulnerary in her hand. The bottle is the same but the liquid inside is deep green, not like what I'm used to.

"I saw what happened after we struck the wyvern. Is your stomach all better?"

"Everything is better now that I'm on land again," I groan as I push myself up into a sitting position. I take the bottle from her and stare at it. Normally you dump a vulnerary on you. Am I suppose to rub this on my stomach?

"Oh sorry," she apologizes lightly. "This is an herbal brew. It's good for stomach discomfort like yours. Stahl and I reused the old vulnerary bottles after we made this."

I swirl the medicine inside and peer down the top at it. "You and Stahl, eh?"

She flushes lightly around the cheeks but looks proud of herself. "We made quite a few backup vials for emergencies before we left."

"Cheers!" I chug a mouthful and shake my head at the explosion of bitter root that hits my stomach. I swallow the liquid and rub my tongue over the top of my mouth a few times trying the get the taste off of it. "Yummy."

"There's not much we can do about that, I'm afraid. But it will make you feel better before you know it!" Sumia answers, bubbly and supportive.

"Hey!" Ricken's concerned greeting signals his arrival. He wanders over, rolling up the oversized sleeves of his coat. "Is Robin okay? I didn't see her get injured in the fight. The spell didn't backfire, did it?"

"I'm fine," I say while raising the vial, "thanks to Sumia here."

"A foul case of kinetosis," Miriel follows. "Nothing a bout of rest cannot handle."

"Yes," I agree hesitantly. Sumia and I both share a void look. "That. Exactly that."

"That's alright. I can't say I like flying all that much either," Ricken replies. "Nothing against you Sumia! It was just...well, really high up there."

"What's the matter Ricken, I thought you wanted to be taller?" I joke.

He huffs, crossing both arms as he glares indignantly at my jab. "I don't want to be a giant!"

"Putting aside your jibs," Miriel interrupts, "I feel it is most proper to commend you both on your performance."

"Thanks," I say before downing another swig of this nasty medicine. Ricken, meanwhile, seems a bit hesitant to take all the praise. His first real foray into battle was in Ylisstol and it didn't leave a good impression on him. The reality of lives ending at his hands is still weighing heavy on him. While he looks glad to have done his part in securing victory, there's faint traces of his own uneasiness all around him.

"That was a most exemplary display of arcane principles. An advanced practice coordinated with precision in such a short time. I am proud of you both. As my pupils, I congratulate you on the progression of your capabilities."

I feel all mushy inside with the approval. It wasn't just me who excelled. We made the passes complete with her guidance! "As my teacher, I congratulate you on getting my inexperienced self to actual pull off some...thing..." I stop mid-sentence.

Miriel has approached Ricken and is forcefully starting a bizarre ritual. It started with a high-five but the two are now going all over the place. I'm talking up, down, under and then ending with both hands out.

"What are you doing?" I gape.

Ricken suddenly seems shy and ducks his head away. "It's...um...Miriel?"

He looks to her for an answer, clearly embarrassed by the display. She's otherwise unperturbed. Happier even. "We are conducting our celebratory high-fiving."

"That's a bit more than what I showed you, Miriel."

"Indeed," she nods. "I have taken the basics and experimented with alternative measures to amplify the message of our joyous victory to its most utmost capacity."

"We made it more fun, she means," Ricken adds.

Miriel steps in front of me. Taking my hand, she closes it and proceeds to bump my fist with hers. "I have observed more than once the specially customized high-five which you have crafted with our captain. I can only assume there are subtle differences in your custom based on social standing. The more intricate the design, the deeper the bond. Am I correct?"

Oh my gods. "Uh...yes? I guess so. It's just sort of a thing we do and-"

"As I thought," she declares triumphantly. "Realizing how rudimentary our own procedure was, I have crafted with Ricken a routine which is optimized to provide maximum elation while exhibiting the finery befitting our deep connection as comrades and scholars."

I look to Ricken and he shrugs meekly.

"Shall we commence with the declaration of our friendship?" she asks me now, hands raised.

"Oh, this looks like fun! Why don't you teach me your new routine Miriel!" Sumia says excitedly. She stands up and positions her hands so they're ready to go.

"Most excellent!"

Sumia throws her fellow rider a look. "Cordelia, come over! We were all a team today! You can do it too."

"I'm sorry," the other woman starts, staring at the odd demonstration. "But, what are you doing?"

"An intricate bonding ritual as customary to Robin's culture. You are welcome to partake in it," Miriel states while picking up her robes. She steps back to allow the other space in our buddy circle.

"Oh, is that what this is about?" Cordelia murmurs in surprise. "I found some young students from the academy doing this the other night. It ended with them butting heads."

It's spreading? Did Miriel teach this to her fellow mages as well? Wow. Just wow.

Somewhere through the third round of our exchanges I hear a shrill screaming. It starts to get closer and closer causing me to look up. I expect a wyvern to be flying in but no such luck. The sound is actually coming from behind us.

"OHHHHHMYYYYGODDDDDDS!"

My face plants into the ground again, this time unwillingly as something barrels into me. Lissa's vice-grip around my torso causes us both to fall. Her legs kick like crazy and she's red with exertion from running.

"Holy pegasus feathers! That was so awesome!" She cheers, eyes wide and sparkling. "You guys totally annihilated that wyvern! We saw this big magic ring all shiny and loud. Then there was this big explosion and then-"

She sits up, arms going wide as she makes a large whooshing sound. "Boom!"

"It was so co-" Suddenly her pupils are like saucers. She lets out a breathy whine and leaps to her feet, boots skidding against the grass. "You're out!"

Lissa rushes, arms flailing for balance, toward Caeda. The old queen had been watching passively this whole time, her need for energy reduced to literally nothing having exited combat. She had been content to remain in the background but there was no denying Lissa's attention.

The younger royal immediately starts circling her ancestor, hands clasped behind her back as she seeks to take in every aspect of the fabled warrior. Lissa had yet to see Caeda and expressed more than once her desire to do so. Finally getting to must be like a dream for her.

"Oh my gosh. I can't believe you're real!" She gushes. "I have so many questions! Everyone knows about your husband but I was always such a fan of yours. Did you really fight the whole war at his side? That's so romantic! And did you also partake in the final battle with Medeus? What was he like? Also, did you personally know Chris? Was he as bad a cook as they say? Because Sully is pretty bad and-"

Lissa continues to flit about, her endless chattering amusing Caeda. Cordelia helps me off the ground, everyone watching the entertaining scene.

"The sight is astounding," Cordelia admits, still in awe of the regal woman before her. "To think we stand in the presence of the real queen herself."

"Correction. What you see before you is not flesh and blood but a phantasmal aspect of the queen. She is pure magical energy given sentience," Miriel notes. She's pulled that little book of notes from one of her many hiding places and feverishly writes in it.

"Miriel had a long talk with King Marth a few nights ago," Ricken adds, peeking over Miriel's arm into the pages. "I think she scared him with her questions."

"Miriel," I voice in disapproval, "I thought I warned you not to harass them!"

"You have no need to fret Robin. I was courteous as befitting a member of royalty. Though a shade they may be, common courtesy is still to be adhered to. I asked nothing personal. I merely questioned the general composition of their bodies and what type of sustenance Einherjar need to exist. Do they breathe? Must they eat? Such fascinating creatures you've procured. I have to wonder where you found artifacts of such power."

I wave both hands do a little dance of mockery to cement the point. "Amneeeeesia!" I say in a sing-song voice.

Ricken calmly shuts the book in her hands as he imploringly tries to calm her down. "Miriel, can we wait to ask questions another time? We've only just left battle. Maybe tonight?"

"I've got to agree. I sort of burnt myself out up there with the fighting. Keeping an Einherjar running takes a lot out of you," I add, stretching out my sore muscles. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, the exhaustion of battle is settling heavy on every body part I can feel.

Miriel's reply is overtaken by Lissa's return. She pulls Caeda eagerly along, skipping with each step!

"Robin! The big lightning spell was your idea? That's so awesome! Where did you come up with that? I never saw magic do that before!"

"What? I...no. Well, yes," I hesitate. The last thing I want to do is hog the limelight. "But I couldn't have done it without Miriel or Ricken. They were the main forces behind it."

"Wow. You guys were amazing. I watched the whole thing from down here and when you came out with that big ring of lightning everyone just stopped and stared."

She turns to Cordelia and Sumia, not willing to leave them out. She points to each pegasus rider in succession. "And then you three just went all the way up and then smacked that overgrown lizard right into the ground. That's showing him!"

Cordelia hides a laugh behind her hand. "Thank you, my Lady. It's always a pleasure to serve the royal family."

"And that's a dedication we'll never be able to return. We're all honored for it Cordelia."

Lissa's sibling comes walking steadily up behind us. Chrom's foray on the grounds haven't spared him. He's got his own share of marks and the bloody bandages around his upper thigh cause my heart to stop. His walk is still strong so I hope it's merely a flesh wound.

I'm not the only one taken back by his state. Cordelia goes stark white and she has to stop herself from stepping forward. Her hands stiffen at her sides and she instead greets him with barely concealed worry.

"Prince Chrom!" she startles.

Lissa rushes up to her brother, pointing at Caeda as if she were an exotic animal on display. "Chrom! Chrom! Look who it is! She's just like you described!"

"Easy Lis. Don't go stifling her with your eagerness," he teases, ruffling her hair before playfully flicking her forehead.

"I'm not," she squints rebelliously as she rubs the sore spot with the back of her hand.

He approaches his ancestor with a respectful sincerity, bowing just lightly in greeting. "Queen Caeda. The honor's mine again. I'm sorry to say your husband is still preoccupied if you're looking for him. A few others have seen fit to take up his time."

She closes her eyes and I feel a bit of her stretch outward. It's only a few seconds and whatever happens causes her to smile. "I see. Ah, the children known as Chris and Marth. How appropriate."

Oh, she's probably feeling up that mental connection she shares with her fellow Einherjar. "I don't mind If there is one joy my Marth always partook in, it was that of personally engaging his people."

Chrom seems surprised by her knowledge. He ends up looking my way in question. "How did...?"

I tap the side of my head. "Psychic bond thingy. They're sort of in tune with one another. She's aware of his actions and the likewise."

"Interesting." He takes a step back and looks over the group. It's not hard to notice the deep breath of relief he gives out after taking each of us in. "Well, given how enthusiastic you all seem, I suppose I don't have to ask if everyone is alright."

"All present and accounted for, Captain!" Sumia exclaims happily. Wow, she managed to actually talk to him without stuttering. Impressive!

"So I see. That I can be thankful for." He gestures back over his shoulder with his thumb. "After watching that stunt up in the air, I was half worried one of you would come out half-charred."

His tone changes swiftly. The admiration in his voice for our actions speak volumes. "What in the heavens did you do? Phila's been in utter awe of it since she landed."

"A simple collaboration between pegasus riders is all," Cordelia starts but I quickly cut in to give my girl a bit more credit.

"It's a very advanced move!" I exclaim, draping my arm over her shoulder. I throw out the other slowly and drag it across the air before us for emphasis. "Only the best of the best can do it."

"Robin," she exasperates, the color in her face blooming. It doesn't stop her eyes from flitting to the object of her admiration, desperate for a sign of his thoughts.

I subtly nudge her forward. This is the perfect time for her to shine. To get noticed. Chrom, friend, look hard. Take in this striking redhead who smells like perfection!

I pull Sumia in on the other side and she blinks in discomfort as we all almost press cheek to cheek. I can't leave her out either. "Clearly this a sign of their amazing potential. Caeda herself saw how skilled they were and chanced the risky move because she had faith in them. Pretty phenomenal, right?"

"N-no, hardly! We just did as we-ow!"

I step on Sumia toe to shut her up. I whisper low under my breath. "Sumia, I am in real good with him. For gods' sakes, let me hook you girls up already!"

"Robin!" Cordelia gasps quietly in horror. "We're on the battlefield!"

"Why are you making this difficult? I'm trying to help!"

Seriously! I had to sit and listen to you two at dinner the other night coo all over him. Oh Sumia, did you see the way Prince Chrom picked up that crate? His posture is so perfect. Why yes Cordelia, I just love the way he tucks his pants into his boots. So proper!

Naga's flaming brow! I am giving you girls the ideal opportunity to catch his attention. Why are you trying to resist me helping you catch the eye of a handsome, thoughtful, sometimes adorkable man I would kill to-

Oh for frick's sake. I did not just think that. This is not happening right now! I need to go stare at a shirtless Gaius some more. Fudge, fudge, fudge!

"Is everything alright?" Chrom asks the three of us. We all freeze and look up with big eyes.

"Yes," Cordelia flatly denies.

"No!" I sigh.

"Maybe?" Sumia guesses.

"Actually, Robin's right! Without them, I dunno how our spell would have held," Ricken pipes up behind us. He grips the spine of his book and huddles behind it for support as he forces himself to stand as tall as he can.

"Save some of the credit for yourself Ricken. Speaking of that spell, I have to admit, it was certainly eye-catching," Chrom replies with praise for the young mage.

Ricken tries not to shuffle too eagerly in place. He airily tosses his head to the side and shrugs his shoulders. "Aw, it was nothing. Just a simple thunder spell we manipulated to the high-powered output of an arcthunder spell."

He cracks an eye open to see if his hero is watching before quickly shutting it again. Chrom catches the tiny action and suppresses a grin. He walks past us and bends down slightly to match the younger lad's eye level. The words of praise I had wanted for the girls are now being bestowed on Ricken's ruddy cheeks.

I can't believe a fifteen year old just cockblocked us.

"My sympathies," Miriel ghosts in causing the three of us to jump apart. "Your attempt for initiating an interest in courtship was admirable Robin. Ineffective, but admirable."

"It always is." I drop my head into my hands, suppressing the urge to scream. "The boy is denser than a block of wood."

Cordelia mimics my reaction, her voice disapproving. "Robin, we are fully capable of pursuing such things ourselves. Don't you find it a bit intrusive to be attempting something so personal?"

I drop my hands and cross my arms over my chest, mouth slanting in disbelief. "Not really. Rereading the same darn chapter in a book called How to Make a Man Fall for You in Thirty Days is not a progressive way to get a paramour. Trust me."

The pegasus knight goes stiff as a board, hand pressed to her chest. "Y-you saw that?"

She turns to her friend for validation, causing Sumia to shirk away. Her eyes avert and her lips are stretched thin in guilt. "It's not really hard to make out the title even if you cover it with your hands, Cordy. The title is large and very pink."

"Oh gracious..." Cordelia looks ready to bury her head into the ground

"If you are persistent in acquiring the affections of our captain, perhaps I may guide you in the most appropriate direction? Vaike is privy to many of Prince Chrom's preferred avocations. Surely there is something I may discover that you may utilize to your best interests."

"No Miriel. Thank you, but no," Cordelia sighs.

This is hopeless. At this rate no one is going to have babies. That's unacceptable. I will not be a salty old spinster! I demand godchildren!

A blur of bright and dark colors dash by. Lissa's apparently left and then returned running hand in hand with Owain as she leads him to Caeda.

"I told you! See!" she yells in excitement.

For the moment, the only thing he's focused on is their conjoined hands. He looks so happy I think my heart's going to break. He just has the biggest, sappiest grin ever. That quickly changes when he finally does look. A dawning of realization settles on him as he takes in the familiar Einherjar. Another piece of his past reclaimed. His chest rises and I can see the speech already forming in Owain's brain.

"Hallowed matron of this fine dynasty! Let this humble mortal bask in your radia-!"

Lissa's stop is abrupt and he's so caught up in speaking that he keeps on running. His poor attempt to brake lands with him stumbling right past her.

"Chris! Oh nuts! Sorry," Lissa grimaces as she chases after him.

"Never fear!" Owain quickly rises. Yeah, let's just ignore the fact that he's tripped and now has a clod of dirt stuck to his cheek. "The hero yet lives!"

I'm beginning to think her exuberance has taken form in his theatrics because they approach Caeda in the same fashion. He barely conceals his excitement behind his dramatic persona as much as his mother tries to hide hers behind her continued bouncing on both heels.

This family. How is this even real? You have calm and kind Emmeryn. Chrom, lord of dorkitude. And Lissa, the eternal ball of sunshine. Owain is...Owain. And Lucina is...

Where is she anyway? I turn, expecting to see her far off still engaged with Marth. Instead, I spy her watching the whole scene quietly from the shadow of a tree. Slipping away from the group, I approach the young recluse with a wave of greeting. She raises her chin in response, allowing me to see a glimpse of the nostalgic longing in her eyes.

"He's been like this all day," Lucina's cool voice drifts in. All the children have returned to covering their heads though Lucina has forgone the mask. The young princess chooses to keep her head down and hood pulled deep over her face.

"Here I thought you'd be fawning over the original Marth." Looking over, I see the Einherjar currently engaged in some conversation with a few other Shepherds while onlookers continue to stare. I wonder how Chrom's doing with maintaining his hold on the spirit. He looked pretty worn but we did just exit battle.

"I don't wish for my enthusiasm to seem excessive. By giving my 'brother' permission to utilize our ancestor, I can now see him when I wish. I would have been satisfied just to wield a blade beside him. The mere sight of King Marth is inspiring."

"Yeah, Marth and Caeda seem to have that affect on people."

She adjusts her hood from her eyes, allowing a few stray lengths of blue hair to fall around her neck. "We did not recruit the Einherjar until, at earliest, the first year after the Plegian war. Never had they been revealed so early. And once your predecessor betrayed us, she kept them closely guarded. I saw little of them after that."

I pause and consider that even having the Einherjar back again count toward her kin. One big family reunion. I feel happy for her. Something about that fact just fills me with a sense of peace. This child is home again surrounded by the warm, accepting faces of family.

I...I forgot to breath there for a moment.

I join her, fingers pressed against my cheek. A tiny chuckle bubbles up. "It must be nice to fight alongside family again. All of it this time."

The words do the opposite of what I expect. Her eyes lower and cloud over. It's a bitter smile that flits over her face before she wipes it away. The girl of many faces. So easy she can discard one for another.

Lucina lifts a finger from where it rests over her crossed arms. She points to her cousin in an attempt to change the topic. "He really is such a fool. Look at him." She remarks not in disapproval but amusement.

I suppress the urge to dig further but respect it. Instead, I cast my own opinion on his forebear. "You want silly? Look as his mother."

She doesn't respond. We sit there a few minutes, watching the scene unfold. I notice that Sumia's shyly slipped away between the bodies to approach our two cavaliers. I can't hear what they're saying but there's a pleasant look of surprise on Stahl's face when he sees her. Sully's own amusement as she watches the two reconnect has me suspicious. Now that I think about it, Sumia really wasn't blushing as hard as she used to around Chrom. She didn't seem as concerned as Cordelia either when pressed earlier. I wasn't being completely serious about her and Stahl connecting before but, uh, I wonder if I underestimated things. This may be wishful thinking but could something actually evolve out of this? Holy cannoli! Can you imagine the possibilities this could lead to?

"Marth made an interesting observation," Lucina remarks idly, interrupting my thoughts. She opens her palm and rotates it over her forearm. "He told me I leave a small opening in my defenses whenever I parry. He wishes to show me a way in which I can amend that."

"I remember there being a part in the stories with Tiki. She was quoted in saying you resemble your ancestor more than any of his descendants. Looks like you're about to prove her even more right," I joke playfully.

She's a bit stunned by my admission, if not flattered. Lucina quickly looks away. "I suppose you are right."

"Nothing but good can come of that," I cheer, shaking a fist in good spirits. "This is only going to make us stronger. Just like you said, we're gonna do this Lucina. We're going to win."

I feel stupidly cheesy for echoing her letter and even more so for the big ol' grin I give her followed by a wink. But it feels wrong not to. "I believe in you."

"You..."

Lucina stares at me, face blank. It gets longer and longer, to the point I start to feel uncomfortable. Did I say the wrong thing? Just as I feel the need to apologize, something utterly crazy happens.

She laughs. Not just her usual dry chuckle. It's a full blown laugh that causes her to quickly clamp a hand over her mouth. It doesn't stop her eyes from scrunching up her eyes or her shoulders from shaking at the efforts.

I make a face. I didn't think I was that ridiculous. "What's so funny about what I said?" I prod at my face. "Was it me?"

She sucks in a large amount of air through her nose, speaking still through her fingers. "Nothing. It's nothing. The whole sight just struck me as ridiculous."

"Sorry?"

"No, no," she states, head shaking. "I cannot explain. Simply that...You just continue to surprise is all. I never expected you to- And I am comparing you again to ghosts of the past."

She returns to normal but the air retains its hint of positivity. I think I get where she's coming from. I can't fault her for it. So, I'll just choose to roll with it. I take a step toward the Shepherds. With the thrill of victory and our survival dwindling, the harsh realities are about to set in. Body counts. Prisoners. Securing the fort. But for now, I'll just take in the moment.

"Let's go peel your cousin off your ancestor before things really get ugly."

"Indeed," she agrees. She takes an even pace beside me. For the first time, she stands beside me without her hand resting near her weapon. Her eyes are cast forward and she does not lag behind to watch my movements.

Something about the unconscious shift in her nature fills me with more joy than I think I've ever felt before.

Huh. Talk about making progress.

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A/N: THREE CHAPTERS YOU SAY? HAHAHA! NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION UNLOCKED!

Nothing like messing around with old game mechanics! Some of you recent fans may not know but past Fire Emblem games had the Triangle Attack in there usually. I didn't always use it myself but I thought it was an interesting enough feature to pay homage to. Not sure I've seen it in another fic before so I sort of went out on a limb with transcribing it to a real-life situation. Literally it's just a high impact shot that requires extreme acrobatics to deploy. Gives a great excuse to get Cordelia nominated to the Shepherds too. Welp, one battle down. Many more to go!

And let me pop a bottle of ginger ale! Right before I posted this I hit one hundred thousand views! I'm going to melt into a puddle of goo. Thank you all so much :)

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Review Responses -

Caellech Tiger Eye: I'm pretty much in agreement with what you said. It's rare to have anything be it book, film, or game come out utterly perfect. Most have flaws and the odds were stacking against Awakening being the final herald of the series. If IS pulls off Fates, then it's clear they're listening and improving. I've got fanfiction to fill my issues with Awakening and I can enjoy Fates knowing future entries are only going to get stronger. I'm okay with this. It's the best I can ask for.

Well, with pacing, it doesn't mean I can't still try to improve. I tried a new form of planing for chapters and it's allowed me to churn out the last three pretty well. Though I've had plenty of extra time this month to add to that. Still, as long as I don't fall into 'purple prose' syndrome or 'filler hell,' I'll be content. As for shipping, I'll laugh myself to the grave before I settle on anything until the last moment. Oh well. As long as it stays true to both characters, I'll also not complain.

I feel like if I try to remark on your observation of Lucina's quiet toward the children's parentage, I'd write another two pages and spoil a future chapter. It's good though. Nothing you said lacks a strong argument behind it. I really could say much on it, spoiling things just prevents me. Drat.

Robin's logic falls into your reasoning. She's not considering it an option because Tiki is Naga's daughter, she's practically a god. Could a bunch of Plegians actually have the power to murder her? Also, that's just really not something she would want to consider. Things are grim already. Still, the possibility is there given Tiki has been reported missing, though no sign of her was found after the assault on her shrine. The fact that I could have vocalized Robin's thoughts is a missed insight on my part. I should do that. I have a list of minor content building up for a potential rewrite/misspelling purge. I can add this to Chapter 36. Thank you.

Aaaand thank you again! That's honestly the best type of praise I can ask for. Not everyone is an all around gifted writer. You have strengths and weaknesses. Given I chose to make something character driven and, above all, fantasy themed, that's the most important thing to nail down. I've always been fascinated with characters and what makes them tick so I probably spend more time making characters than actual plots. Probably why I have yet to try and publish anything. As for Asche and his sister, a lot of time went into them for the reasons of creating a firmly rooted tie to Regna Ferox. Even though we fight there and the Feroxi play a large part of the narrative, the country is largely unexplored. I don't want to drop an info dump on people. I just have to be creative in finding ways to tie in lore with relevance! One thing I will always give my English teachers credit for is stressing the fluidity of a narrative.

EDIT: I missed your second post! So sorry! I have seen Stranger Than Fiction. It's a different kind of movie and I really did enjoy it. It sort of borderlines dark humor and drama. While this story could echo some of that, Cycle isn't going to fall into that category. Robin's just a symbolic nod to the powers of the player, but in no way has current Robin's play through of FE13 on her own DS altered the story here. The theory you actually mentioned is sort of invoked here, though again, not to an extreme. Robin just coincidentally happens to come from a world where that scenario has been invoked. I've always fancied the idea that what you dream is inspired by a reflection of another world. It's probably all rubbish but the notion is romantic in a way.

Lovely ideas about Grima and the dragon's specific mentality. I'd point to a specific chapter to help confirm or deny but that's the thing about spoilers again. My approach to Grima was to tie in history as best I could without breaking the rules of the world. So yes, there will be a lot of nods to past events, figures, and the mentality of the dragon race as a whole. Considering the actual games only alludes to the world's progenitors in a vague way, I've had to make the best of things.

I could probably go on and on about the twins and their father. Tragic cases, all of them. I think someone once said that the childrens' mentality reminded them of Stockholm Syndrome, which is close. The two were raised in isolation in a world almost completely ravished(again!) by a truly terrible being. They were brainwashed with propaganda and left to run wild when not being useful. They'd be straight up feral if they didn't have their father. He's the one who essentially taught them self-identity, restraint, and some understanding of life. Meanwhile, he would have eventually given in at some point if he did not know they were alive. They gave him a reason to carry on and attempt something out of his miserable existence. His personality isn't what it was, but it hasn't left him wholly. He remembers, regrets, and tries to avert what he can. Remembering himself is what saved him and the kids.

Victory3114 – Twisted by innocence. I like that. New trope! Accurate though. Her upbringing was divided between to severe planes of influence and the whole isolated human hating thing probably doesn't help. And are we talking Ruby Rose from RWBY. If so, that's actually a good comparison! I didn't think of that but they certainly have their comparisons being very fun yet still having a little devious side to them when it comes to battling!

Her brother's been pulled away for the latter reason. They're separating them to try and prevent further trouble and to hopefully break their spirits a little. Like that will happen.

Ya'll are so dead set on making poor Chrom suffer XD Really though, their father is a Deadlord. Special type of undead who still has sentience despite the zombie-ish living style. Grima personally worked some special project on him according to the twins and he's retained even more awareness because of it.

The Right Hand of Light – The twins' dad was a captive of Grima and watched the world burn. Pretty sure lots of traumatic stuff happened. What Marc revealed in this chapter was the tipping point. If you read through the lines, you can figure out what happened. It's...yeah.

Nope, nothing is clear right now about those two other than they once seemed close but then fell apart thanks to him. Current Robin is completely independent to Other Robin and Grima Robin. Anything can happen, including the same outcomes or different ones!

Both kids had the hard life. I think Morgan mentioned in his chapter he had to magically reattach his thumb. Life sucks when your parent is a dragon hellbent on revenge and twisted in the mind. And the same for Lucina. Yeah, life hasn't been much more kind to her. What a world, what a world.

I'm greatly resisting my Temmie urge right now. I played Undertale about a month ago and it was an amazing experience. Some of the parallels I found in the plot were downright spooky how close they ran to my story sometimes. I think it made me appreciate the game more though.

Have no fear, I enjoy long rambles as much as short verses. And more Shepherds you say? Funny you mention that because the next mission is planned to be all about them! Wish granted!

Forgetful Dreamer – No worries! I think everyone is waiting for some hint of the other children possibly returning. One can hope!

I eat, sleep, and breathe adorable things. I would write slice of life family goodness all day and night if I could. That's my secret. Dorky, mushy familial love makes my world go round.

Hey, don't worry! Just seeing readers pop in once in awhile to check up and say hi is good enough for me! Thanks for sticking around so long to read! That alone is enough to make me smile ear to ear. Drop a word whenever you feel that itch.

3liManning – I might go missing during my rampage that will be all-nighters playing Fates, so I think I'm trying to compensate for that with the chapters. Also, I'm just really excited about the content planned in these. More excited than continuing my Fallout 4 file. That's incredible for the likes of me!

Yep the chapter is just like Marc herself, mostly cute but there's a deep darkness underneath it.

Considering Marc says they all have their own agendas on top of their shared mutual support of Grima, the generals very well could rebel in their own way if they feel it will promote their goal. There's a reason they're dangerous. They're all selfish in their own ways. It could cause problems or they could turn on themselves and give Robin an easy time. That's a mixed bag.

Marc and Morgan are both a joy to write. Both alike and different. I tried to carry my fondness for them from the games into this. They are your own kids after all. Favoritism inbound! Their mentalities toward Grima do tend to run differently. He is very much into his lineage and Marc's disconnect from it has also impacted her. The further they go with the new Robin, the more their own opinions will change. Which way it goes depends on the child. At the same time, they are siblings and exceptionally attached to each other. Their whole world has revolved around only themselves. It will take a lot to turn them fully against the other. It's a difficult position they've found themselves in. Poor kids.

And their poor father! He's seen some dark junk, let me tell you. The kids are the only reason he never went nuts. Living with Grima as your housemate isn't the greatest arrangement, I can assure you.

Don't worry, no need to apologize for long reviews! Do as you do! I appreciate them no matter how long. Your ideas have always been insightful so I won't complain!

ArcherShirou – I know. That poor family. At least they have each other. Ha, Marc's got a lot of her mother in her, including that. It's funny how kids can turn out like the parents in certain ways.

NODAHE – Did you mean three in one month ;) Happy Unbirthday to everyone!

Arthogawa – No problem. They came out pretty fast and sporadic. Easy to miss. Thanks for dropping a review regardless!

That's definitely Lucina's character right there. She's desperately clinging to the original vestiges of her dream but has endured so much that she's losing sight of it. That's what makes Robin's and her relationship so different. Robin is doing this for the first time and still retains a bit of that naïve hope. Lucina is more experienced and realistic. They balance each other out and are starting to find that line of equality in their partnership.

Marc and Robin do have their parallels. They're both a bit mischievous at heart and stand on the optimistic side. Marc's just a lot more impish. Well, on the topic of the brand I'll counter the argument by saying that she has good reason to cover the Mark of Grima. If anyone did catch sight of it, there's a likelihood someone would end up killing her somehow. Grimleal or Ylissean, given they understood what the mark truly meant. But hey, I'm just arguing for the sake of making you all wonder. I confirm or deny nothing. As for the rest of your theory... If you read between the lines in both twins' interludes, they were not expected and things were not sunshine and rainbows for their dad (regardless of who he may be). Grima's twisted. I think that gives you your answer. I'll pull the trashcan lid back over myself now.

I'm actually glad to see people anxious about them revealing themselves. Crazy as they are, they've become a favorite aspect of the story. I'm interested to see how the revelations of their existence affect Robin and her circle.

hot poteito – Sorry! I really should put a big warning on the Interludes with the twins. "Warning - Copious Amounts of Feels Ahead! Prepare for Impact!"

Yes, Marc's definitely torn between two states. It's a bit of a shock to her to be receiving something like warmth from her mother figure. Certainly jarring, but not unpleasant. Secretly, she's probably wanted the same acknowledgment from Grima as she did from her father. It's truly heartbreaking. At least it looks like there's some hope for them!

Animeseris – Ha, well happy birthday to your brother then! You can appreciate the new chapters for him!

I'm sure Lucina would appreciate the gifts if she could. The poor girl needs them. She's really got some hard luck. The twins too. Robin really needs to get a rolled up newspaper and swat all those generals away. Creepy ghouls is what they are.

I'll try to get the Katarina part in soon! I promise! But yes, you're correct. Robin has slight cosmetic differences from past Robins. Whether that means anything is up for debate! Did you find all the differences yet?

Ha, ha. Yes, Morgan remains a Momma's boy and Marc a Daddy's girl. Some aspects of their character will never change!

I shall enjoy those cookies. Thank you :D

FicReader – Yep, the past two chapters delved into some different POVs. It was refreshing. Such different backgrounds and philosophies all meshing together. Ylissean, Feroxi, Dragon, good, evil...all these different mentalities help drive the story forward. It's so much fun to explore! Except last chapter. That was more sad than fun :( You're pretty on the spot there. The twins were raised solely as weapons and without their dad they'd probably have no moral fiber in their bodies.

Honestly, I think I'm binge writing because I'm waiting for Fates and have nothing to do. I don't know who's a marriage option because I didn't look up to see if this is like Awakening or limited again like past games. I'm thinking the former. Either way, I peeked at some of the cast portraits waaaay back when it was first released and I have a few options noted. I'll be eager to see if there's a little "S" next to their supports. I think I'm even more invested in if I have to worry about the siblings. Only the best for my cute little sisters!

Steve – Interludes have actually been the easiest for me to write surprisingly. Coming up with new POVs for the interludes is the hard part. I try to choose the most appropriate ones to reflect the current status of background parties or leading plot points.

That's a good question and it's been brought up I think once before. I personally have no issues with writing in any type of romance. My big road block here is trying to honor certain aspects of the story. The first generation of Shepherds is hard because they technically have children and I do want to stick by that since that's how the narrative goes. That leaves me with the ability to move around the second generation or figures outside the Shepherds. Among the latter, there is a pairing I would like to do. Canonically at this point (to this story anyway), Tharja will be bisexual. It's fairly obvious to mean in the game she was attracted to the avatar regardless of gender. And I actually have been on info blackout from Fates for a while now so I have no clue who the new options are. I'm glad Nintendo and IS have added them in though.

fareyinabottle - Have another treat on me then! I'm very much on a role. I've been excited about these last chapters and super eager to push them out. Motivation is a wonderful thing! Oh, wow. Thank you! Honestly, if someone is kind enough to leave me feedback, the least I can do is answer back. It also allows me to meet some great people! So thank you all for being so passionate and detailed in your attentions to my little hobby!

KingKeith - Yep, each twin is starved for Grima's attention. Marc just wants to be noticed. She's closer with her father which is why she feels so comfortable teasing him. Ha, ha, and that's probably a fair assessment, depending on the individual. Marc's dating etiquette alone should be enough to scare away anyone!

Papa Risen is a very tragic character. His will is unbelievably strong but that doesn't mean he's emotionless. He's trapped in this hellish scenario that's been sapping at his remaining humanity for years. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a bit more cold than his past self. He'll pretty much bend rules to protect his kids. His relationship is a bit more complex with Robin though. We'll see where that goes.

Sorry, I am being a bit of a tease, aren't I? Well, you do know he resembles Morgan a bit. There's that! You don't think I'd give away an obvious answer that soon, would you? Or have I? :) Kotomine's got nothin' on me.