With the public arriving en masse, the halls of Ylisstol's palace were full of light and laughter. Even those of commoner status were invited to celebrate another year of their beloved Exalt's life, and Robin could practically feel their adoration for her in the air. Parents had splurged to give their children the most presentable attire, and those who had never had encounters with the nobility simply stared around the room in awe.

A soft tap came on Robin's shoulder as he watched the crowd, and he spun to see Frederick behind him. Not but a few minutes ago, he'd departed to escort Lissa to the grand staircase where she would enter, and frankly, Robin had not expected him to return. "Did you need something from me?" he asked the knight cautiously, worried that perhaps he had forgotten one of his responsibilities for the evening.

"The palace guard has finally located Lord Chrom," Frederick explained. "He says that he's ready to be introduced whenever you are."

"Oh."

"Is something the matter?"

"I…" Robin faltered. He and Frederick had never been the closest of friends- he assumed the other boy had seen their relationship as merely transactional before- so to have him ask what was wrong was a bit jarring at first. Shaking it off though, Robin looked at the young knight. "Can I ask you something?"

Frederick looked equally as awkward and confused by Robin's response, but eventually nodded.

"Did you feel at all nervous when you were assigned to protect the royal family all those years ago?" the tactician asked softly. "I… It feels like there's so much pressure mounting right now… If Chrom ever ascends to the throne, then I'll take my father's place as the tactical advisor for Ylisse… It's just such a daunting thought," he admitted.

Frederick too took a moment before answering, and he seemed to shift uncomfortably where he stood. Robin got the feeling that perhaps he had not opened up to others that much. Slowly, Frederick took a deep breath. "I understand what you're describing," he said quietly. "Before I was trained to be a knight, I was just a steward of House Ylisse… But then the war escalated in its final years, and as a child, I had to be trained in combat in case something ever happened to threaten the lives of the royal family here in the palace. Fortunately, I never had to use those skills, but even as a boy, I knew the weight that having that responsibility carried. I have never forgotten it, not even now. That weight is what drives me forward, but sometimes, I will admit- it threatens to throw me off balance."

"You? Off balance?" Robin looked at the other young man incredulously. "Frederick… You're the most powerful knight that I know."

His words brought a bit of a smile to Frederick's face, and Robin could have sworn he heard the knight chuckle. "You would be surprised," he admitted. "When Lady Lissa was old enough to first start her combat training, I was so worried about what might happen that I woke at dawn to make sure the training grounds were free from any harm to her. Needless to say, I went overboard- I collected every small stick and pebble there to make sure she would not trip, and on top of that, I moved every weapon in the grounds to a height that she could not reach or accidentally cut herself on." His face reddened slightly. "I got quite the scolding from the princess… She's so determined to not be treated as delicate, but I was so worried what would happen if I didn't do my utmost to protect her that I completely forgot she was a capable young girl in her own right…"

Truly, Robin felt surprise run through him. He'd always observed Frederick and his devotion to the royal family from afar, but he had no idea that he cared so deeply for them. To rise at dawn and pick up every stray pebble? "Has anyone ever told you that you might work too hard?" he asked somewhat teasingly.

"Ah…" Frederick rubbed the back of his neck, clearly even more embarrassed. "Maybe once or twice."

Robin laughed- not maliciously by any means- but he couldn't help it. "Well okay then. I know you came here to fetch me for Chrom, but why don't you take a break and enjoy the ball for a bit? I can find my own way to him."

Frederick's eyes gave him a shocked look, as if silently conveying that "there's no way I could do that!" Eventually though, the dark-haired knight nodded. "Very well. I'll resume my duties once he enters the floor. Until then, I am entrusting the prince's safety to you."

Placing a hand to his chest, Robin bowed slightly. "You have my word that I'll watch over him," he promised. "Now, um… Where is he?"

Frederick seemed to relax a bit with Robin's declaration, and raised a hand to point towards the other side of the second-floor balcony where they currently stood. The grand staircase that led down the ballroom was being watched by other guards, and as Frederick pointed it out, Robin swore he could have seen a flash of Chrom's dark blue hair waiting at the top. Without hesitation, he stepped off in that direction, but was halted when he heard Frederick's voice: "Wait just one second, Robin."

He paused, turning back to the knight.

"Please do me a favor and remind Lord Chrom to breathe."

Raven watched the festivities of the ball below from his comfortable perch on the second-floor balcony of the palace. So many people had come to honor Emmeryn, and though it was like this every year, he still remained surprised just how much love the people had for their Exalt.

But as he watched, his eyes were scanning for any potential threat. Earlier in the day, Philia had arrived with a pair of young pegasus knights as her escorts, and though things had been arranged prior, the border with Plegia was weaker tonight. If the Plegians knew, then there was no telling if a stray assassin would sneak past and point a dagger at the Exalt's throat.

Of course, there was no reason to worry anyone else, for there had been no new intel that such a thing was happening. Still, the tactician remained wary- perhaps it was simply in his nature.

"Father?"

Robin's voice snapped Raven out of his thoughts, and he turned to see his son elegantly dressed with his hair braided, most likely headed to meet Chrom. "Oh Robin…" he said softly. "You look so grown up."

Robin's face flushed, and he shook his head. "Father… You're embarrassing me!" he protested.

"And just who am I embarrassing you in front of, hm?" Raven chuckled slightly and reached down to tuck the white strand of Robin's hair behind his ear. His hand faltered as he touched it- remembering the sheer trauma the boy had gone through before his hair had changed color. Though his face was adorned with a grin and his eyes were full of life, that singular streak of unpigmented hair was enough to remind the man of a time when that wasn't the case for the boy- where he had been nothing more than an empty husk all those years ago.

Having sensed his father's hesitation, Robin frowned. "What's wrong?"

"What?" Raven pulled his hand back, shaking his head. "Nothing is wrong." The boy's gaze bore into him, and he sighed. "It's just the musings of a proud father," he said. "I won't embarrass you with them any longer. After all, I assume you were on your way to meet the prince- that's far more important than listening to me ramble."

Though Robin's face flushed, he ultimately nodded. "All right, all right… If you say so."

They stood there for a heartbeat before Raven glanced away, expecting his son to depart. However, instead of leaving his side immediately, he felt Robin's arms wrap tightly around him, and he looked down to see the boy embracing him. Even now, on the cusp of adulthood, Robin still hugged him… It was a strange feeling.

"Father…" Robin whispered, loud enough so only they could hear. "I'm proud of both of us."

Eventually, the boy's arms loosened their grip and Raven let him go. No other words were spoken between them- there weren't even words that the man could conjure. He was proud beyond belief of the boy, yet to hear him say it in return… It was unexpected to say the least.

Raven turned back to observe the comings and goings of the people below as Robin left his side. And while the boy would not know, tears welled in the man's eyes.

"There you are," Chrom said as Robin approached his side. Like the young tactician had suspected, the color palettes of their outfits matched, and he couldn't help but smile.

"We're quite the team tonight, aren't we?" he remarked.

Chrom chuckled. "Yes, it certainly appears that way. But I'm honestly not surprised- we haven't had a tactical retainer assigned to the royal family since the last Exalt was a child. It's quite the occasion."

"I mean… All of this is quite the occasion," Robin admitted. "Your childhood dream to lead your own group to protect the realm is finally coming true, and you're officially going to become the holder of the Falchion sword."

"I suppose that is true," Chrom agreed with a nod. "I just hope the people will like the idea of the Shepherds…"

"Oh please," Robin said, waving his hand dismissively. "The people will be thrilled. You know that."

"I guess," he responded with a laugh. "But you know… Once this is all official, that's when the real work begins. No more days stuck here reading for either of us."

Robin took a breath. "I know."

"We'll have to pick a deputy for the group, and then we'll have to start recruiting. We'll have to find the best people in all of Ylisse- not only those who can cut an enemy down with a single blow, but those who can resolve conflict and treat wounds just as well."

The dark-haired boy couldn't help but smile. "I can't wait." Gently, he placed a gloved hand on Chrom's shoulder. "We're going to help so many people- we're going to change the world with this idea."

Chrom blushed softly. "If my tactician is going to make a prediction like that with such confidence, then I can't wait either."

Below them, the crowd and the orchestra fell silent, and both young men turned their attention to the side. The guards at the staircase ushered them back into the shadows just a few steps, and they watched as Lissa was brought to the top, anxiously waiting her introduction.

"People of Ylisse," began the loud, echoing voice of one of the guards, "Allow me to introduce her Highness, Lady Lissa, princess of House Ylisse!"

The crowd cheered, their applause filling the room as Lissa walked down the stairs. Robin couldn't help but notice how stiff she was as she walked- it looked so unusual for someone so typically full of energy. She waved anxiously to the people, a large smile on her face for all to see. When she finally reached the bottom of the stairs, her foot caught on the hem of her dress and she tripped slightly, causing the audience to gasp and the guards to all reach forward. Finally though, it looked as though she wasn't tense, and her golden laughter echoed through the room. The crowd of people laughed alongside her, all bowing their heads as she went to sit on the smallest of the three thrones in the room.

Chrom and Robin exchanged a bit of a nervous glance, but ultimately, their gazes returned to the top of the stairs, where the Exalt now stood in her sage green attire, with the royal sword, Falchion, hanging on her hip. At Emmeryn's side was Philia, and at Philia's side was a pair of young women. By their attire, Robin guessed they were pegasus knights as well. As Emmeryn was announced, he noticed that everyone in the crowd, as well as Philia and her wards, bent down to their knees. With more grace and authority than Robin had ever seen, the Exalt confidently strode down the staircase, a hand gently raised to wave to her people. It was such a contrast to Lissa, and the grace with which she carried herself was striking.

Unlike her sister, when Emmeryn reached the bottom of the stairs, she waited for the applause to die down and for the people to stand once again. She did not even need to ask for silence- it was simply given to her out of respect.

"My beloved Ylisse…" she said, looking out on the crowd before her. "Thank you all for coming to celebrate with me this evening. It truly brings me such joy to open my halls to you- my life feels brighter when I am with you." Gently, she clasped her hands loosely in front of her. "Tonight, I am overjoyed to not only spend my time with you, but also to announce to you someone who I admire very, very deeply.

"For a long time, I have been confined to this palace, working to restore our land from disaster. In these duties, I recognize that I have not always been able to help protect you: the people I love so dearly. After several years of preparation, I am pleased to announce to my beloved Ylisse that you will no longer have to fear. As of today, my brother Chrom is sixteen years of age, and while tonight was meant to celebrate me, I hope you will celebrate him as well, for he is to be captain of our Halidom's new protectors- the Shepherds." Emmeryn paused as people murmured amongst themselves, and she drew Falchion from its sheath at her side. In her hands, it began to glow softly, and the people gasped at the divine sight.

The Exalt looked up to her brother, who raised his arm to Robin. "Let's go, friend," he whispered.

With a nod, Robin took his arm. Together, they approached the center of the stairs. "Remember to breathe," Robin murmured softly to the prince, and a smile appeared on his face. Slowly, Robin felt Chrom's body exhale and loosen beside him, and the two descended down the stairs towards Emmeryn.

Whispers rang through the crowd, and excited expressions dotted the faces of all that the two could see. When they reached Emmeryn's side, the Exalt bowed her head to them, and both Chrom and Robin did the same. Though they had made it this far, Robin felt Chrom trembling ever so slightly, and he turned to look at the prince. His face was that of a confident young man ready to accept his responsibility, yet still he shook. Reassuringly, Robin squeezed his arm against Chrom's before they had to let go.

Softly, Chrom bit his lower lip, and as he felt Robin's arm leave his own, he reached his hand out and carefully took his tactician's. Robin must have been shocked, for he looked at Chrom with wide eyes, but the prince said nothing, only squeezing Robin's hand to this time reassure him.

Her smile softer than ever, Emmeryn let Falchion rest delicately in her hands. "People of Ylisse," she began, "as you know, no Exalt can complete their duty without trusted council. Today, I am honored to welcome young Robin into House Ylisse as Chrom's tactician, council, and retainer. With his guidance, may we see our vision for the Halidom brought to fruition."

The Exalt dipped her head to him- as did Chrom- and the rest of the people followed soon after. Reluctantly, he felt Chrom let go of his hand just as quickly as he had taken it, but he understood. Robin now took his turn and bowed to the people before stepping to the side, allowing Chrom and Emmeryn room to do what everyone had truly been anticipating.

The people's eyes were fixed upon the prince and the glowing blade. "Chrom…" Emmeryn said. "With trusted council at your side and a dream for Ylisse, the time has come for you to now hold the sword of our ancestors in your hands. The Falchion represents a divine oath between the First Exalt and the Divine Dragon Naga, and so, I shall ask you to call upon the responsibilities of your bloodline and declare the same oath."

Ylisse's prince nodded and held out his hands. Carefully, the Exalt rested the blade on them, and it seemed to glow even brighter as the two held it together. "Chrom, do you swear upon the Falchion to protect the people of this realm, to use its power for good, and to answer the call of those in need?" she asked, looking deep into her brother's blue eyes.

Matching her gaze, Chrom remained unflinching. "I do swear."

"And do you swear to take the oath of the Exalt- to lead by example and to fight for peace in my place should I someday fall?"

Robin felt his heart pound in his chest as Chrom opened his mouth and made his proclamation once more: "I do swear."

"Then Chrom, prince of Ylisse, one of Exalted blood, I grant you the Falchion sword and declare you protector of our realm." Her hands left the sword and returned to her side. Though Chrom had held it many times before, this time felt far different, and his closed his eyes, lowering his head in silent prayer. He finished, then turned to face the people he was now sworn to protect; he raised Falchion skyward, and even those at the far back of the crowd were bathed in its divine light.

Robin squinted involuntarily, but as Chrom lowered the sword, the light dissipated, and Falchion was as it normally was once again. Though Emmeryn had worn the weapon's sheath, Chrom too wore one, and he secured Falchion inside it, therefore completing the ritual.

The Exalt opened her mouth to speak once more, but no sound left her lips. Confused, Robin looked around to see if anyone else was unable to hear her, but the crowd's eyes gleamed brightly as they held onto every word. What… What was going on?

Robin shuffled his feet, taking a step forward before he felt himself stumble. The tactician was able to catch himself, and it seemed like no one noticed his blunder, but his heart quickened fearfully. The edges of his vision were cast in a dark vignette, and his head spun as though he were losing consciousness. The only other time he had felt this disoriented…

All of a sudden, a BOOM rang throughout the ballroom, and as though he was watching everything happen in slow motion, the crowd of people fell to their knees and covered their heads to save them from any falling debris. Chrom flung himself at Emmeryn before any of the guards did, tackling her to the floor. Instantly, the knights around the room's perimeter drew their spears, and Robin scanned the area for the source of the explosion. Turning his head to look behind him, the wall that bordered the palace's courtyard had been all but blown to pieces, the edges of the rubble burning with the remnants of a powerful dark magic.

Though his perception was still warped, Robin's body moved as though it was instinct, and he scrambled back towards the nearest knight. Several figures- hooded and cloaked- were climbing up through the hole in the wall, all with weapons drawn. They wore no identifying insignias on their clothing, but something in Robin's heart knew that these were Plegian assassins. Their eyes all focused on one figure: the Exalt of Ylisse.

As if finally breaking his trance, Robin heard a voice calling out to him- it was louder than any of the crowd's commotion or the knights' commands. Looking around for the source of his father's voice, Robin saw him on the second-floor balcony with a tome drawn and at the ready. Though countless foes were streaming towards the Exalt, Raven only seemed to be worried about him.

Chrom was on his feet now, and as the knights ushered Emmeryn back to safety, the prince rushed to Robin's side and helped to steady him. "Get out of here," he urged. "I'll help hold the line." As if anticipating was Robin was going to say, Chrom gave him a serious, stern look. "If you want to help, make sure Lissa and Emm are safe. You don't need to fight yet."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, the thought of fighting again terrified him, and Chrom's orders were more than enough. Robin nodded, allowing Chrom to unsheathe his divine blade and step in front of him along with the other knights. Though the prince wore no armor, he stood and took command quickly- allowing Robin a brief moment of relief as he ran to the other side of the room.

As he reached Lissa, so too did Frederick. Thankfully, she had been far away enough from the explosion that nothing had hit her, but she cowered behind her throne as though it were a shield. Both Robin and Frederick extended their hands to the trembling girl, and Robin met her frightened gaze. "Lissa, let's get out of here, okay?"

"Your highness," Frederick added, "it's not safe for you here. We can get you to safety."

The logic of their coaxing made sense- yet Lissa's trembling hands remained reluctant as they grasped those of her protectors. Together, the three of them stood and headed for a room further in the palace, taking a similar route that the Exalt and some of the townspeople had. Behind them, another blast sounded, and Lissa let out a scream that penetrated the air. Frederick and Robin exchanged worried glances- what was happening back there?

"Robin," the knight finally said, using his free hand to draw his spare sword. "I can protect Lissa from here. I need you to go back there and look after the prince."

As Frederick extended the weapon to him, Robin felt himself freeze. "I…"

"It doesn't matter right now!" Frederick's brow furrowed, and Robin could sense his desperation. "If a foe comes after us, I can protect Lady Lissa better than you can. I need you to go back and fight with Lord Chrom." He pushed the weapon into Robin's hands. "He needs you to fight alongside him."

Swallowing his fear, Robin gripped the hilt of the sword and nodded- there was nothing else to say. Leaving Lissa and Frederick behind, he ran against the crowd of people headed further in to safety, holding the sword carefully in his trembling hands. Though his vision had not yet returned completely to normal, his heartbeat had steadied, and he knew that he could not hesitate any longer.

Bursting back into the ballroom, the dance floor had become a battleground. Several Ylissean guards lay bleeding on the floor, yet several others worked together to defend the rest of the castle from harm. Up above, Raven was leading a faction of Ylissean mages, including a few familiar faces like the young Miriel that Robin had worked with before. Their spells- fire, wind, and thunder- all rained down upon the intruders with varying degrees of fury. A volley of arrows was shot up in retaliation by a new wave of enemies, but most of the mages managed to duck and avoid being wounded.

But where was he to go...? Out of the corner of his eye, Robin spotted a flash of blue hair racing past several of the assassins, headed out into the cold of the night. "Chrom!" he called out, panicking as he did not see any other knights following him for backup.

Clenching his teeth, Robin raised his sword and made for the same path that Chrom had, even making a swipe or two as he passed an enemy engaged in combat. A few of the knights thanked him and finished the enemy off, and Robin did the best he could to avoid glancing at the blood that dripped from his blade as he ran. Adrenaline fueling his every step, Robin hopped over the rubble from the blast and tumbled to the ground outside, falling further than he first anticipated. However, the pain seemed not to affect him, and he scanned wildly for Chrom. No more enemies were lurking out here, so why did he even come this way?

As soon as the question formed in his mind, Robin saw the same flash of dark blue through the trees, but this time, he could make out another hooded figure that Chrom seemed to be pursuing. If it was just one foe, then they could both take them down!

Robin once again sprinted in the same direction, calling out the prince's name one more time. Each step took him further and further from the rest of the battle, but it didn't matter- if Chrom saw this enemy as a threat, then he would help eliminate them, no matter what.

The snow continued to fall with tremendous speed outside, and the cold reached Robin's bones. His warm breath left a trail in the air as he ran; he ran through bushes, over garden beds, and eventually, reached the other side of the courtyard before stopping to catch his breath. Where had Chrom gone? There was no way he'd lead an enemy this far with Robin having caught a glimpse of-

WHAM!

Robin cried out as a powerful blast of magic slammed into his side- the force carrying him all the way to the wall of the courtyard. The impact was enough to make him drop his sword, and once again, he felt his head throb and his vision grow faint. Gripping his head with one hand, Robin's gaze rose to see the same cloaked figure that Chrom had been chasing approaching him- though their pace was slow and calm.

Wait… No. It wasn't calm- it was… odd. Each step the figure took was obviously taken with a damaged (almost unnatural) stride, and the closer they got, the more Robin's head absolutely roared with pain. He screamed, feeling around for his weapon.

"There is no use. Submit to me."

That voice…! Though it pained him, Robin strained his eyes open, looking for the source of that wretched voice. Unlike when it had echoed in his mind, somehow, it felt more present- more solid and real. It was then that the boy realized that the figure striding towards him had opened their mouth in unison with the spoken words, and panic filled him.

"Submit to me," the voice and the figure said again. Robin, unable to find his blade, retreated back against the wall as far as he could, shaking his head.

"No!" he protested. "I told you to leave me alone!"

The figure, now less than an arm's reach away, knelt down in front of him and pulled back her hood. Beneath, a woman with pale skin and long, white hair looked deep into Robin's eyes. Her pupils seemed to shift color under the moonlight, but a fierce red glow seemed to surround them- the same deep glow that Robin had seen on his doppelganger in his visions.

Unable to say anything else, Robin flailed his legs and kicked at the woman- which she dodged effortlessly. "Such an arrogant, resistant boy," she hissed, reaching a hand forward. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him forward. With her spare hand, she reached for the glove on his right hand, and the smile that adorned her face when she saw the mark underneath was unlike anything Robin had ever seen before. Fear coursed down his spine, paralyzing him in her grasp.

This time, when she spoke, her words were not laced with the darkness of that awful voice. "Go on… Take him… I can't contain you much longer!" The woman's voice was strained, as though she were choking back an immense amount of pain.

"Did you hear that, worm? The time has come! If you will not accept me, then I shall claim you by force! You are mine!"

The white-haired woman's free hand clenched tightly as she began to conjure a ball of powerful dark energy. Robin, unable to move and in even more pain as her spell grew larger, could only watch in horror- he knew that concentration of power was meant for him. "Please… I don't want it…!"

She shook her head, pulling him even closer. "You have no choice! You cannot alter the destiny that has been written for you."

As the air between them crackled with energy, Robin's head hung low and he squeezed his eyes shut. If this was to be the end, he would not give his enemy the satisfaction of looking in his eyes one last time.

"LET GO OF MY SON!"

The sound of electricity filled the air, and an intense gust of wind flung Robin from his captor's hand. He landed in the snow with a thud, but opened his eyes to the hazy sight of a mage in the distance- wielding two tomes of magic, one in each hand. The woman was flung a significant distance away as well, and as she struggled to get up, the mage raced to Robin's side. He stowed one of his tomes and scooped the boy up in his arms, frantically examining him.

"Robin… Gods, please speak to me," he begged softly, holding him close.

"Father…?"

Raven let out a sigh of relief. "We have to go. Hold onto me tightly," he ordered.

"But Chrom… Chrom is here somewhere!" Robin protested. "We have to help him!"

Despite the young tactician's pleas, Raven turned and ran as fast as he could in the other direction- back towards the ballroom. "You're mistaken," he said as he shook his head. "Chrom is still fighting inside- he's alright."

"But then… Who was I chasing?"

Raven was not even given the chance to answer before an awful, demonic cry sounded behind them. With an inhuman speed, the white-haired woman from before lunged at them, seeming to practically fly. Too slow to avoid her, she tackled both Robin and Raven to the ground, managing to separate them once more.

"Validar, you pathetic dog!" she and the voice hissed in unison. "How dare you betray me! You will pay for your transgression!"

Now, instead of focusing on Robin, the woman's attention was fixated on Raven, and without the use of any visible tome, she conjured bolts of dark magic. Each pierced the tactician with incredibly ferocity, but he still fought to stand and counter. "Robin!" he cried. "Keep running! Find Chrom!"

Robin shook his head frantically. His hands reached to the snow beneath him, and after finding a rock, he hurled it at the woman. It struck her cleanly on the side of her head, and she staggered where she stood. "Leave my father alone!" he yelled, grabbing yet another stone to throw. On the other side of her, he saw his father's eyes widen with fear.

Eyes narrowed and full of hate, the woman whipped her head around to face him, and Robin realized that the blow had been enough for her temple to start bleeding. "How dare you?!" That inhuman roar left her body once more, and it was like spears of her magic flew through the air in a circle all around her- several piercing Raven's body.

"No!" Robin screamed, unable to dodge as one of those same spears pierced his own flesh. He fell to the ground completely, and felt nothing but searing pain within him. He whimpered, shutting his eyes tightly as he braced himself for what was coming next.

Though he did not see her conjure it, he heard that same concentration of energy crackle in the woman's hands, and he screamed as it hit his body with unrelenting force. Never in his life had Robin felt more pain, and as the spell raced through it, it felt like he might crack like porcelain under its pressure.

Submit to me! Your flesh is mine!

"No! I already said I don't want you!" Robin cried, unsure if he was actually saying the words he so desperately thought.

It is as we said- you do not have a choice!

Robin's hands clenched and balled into fists- his right hand burning with a heat that felt unholy in every regard. His head, which had been pounding before- felt like it too was on fire, and his brain buzzed with a cacophony that he could not define. It was all so much… It was all too much!

But he remembered that conversation with Chrom all those months ago… When everything had felt just as overwhelming and terrifying as it did now. Despite all of it, Chrom had believed in him then.

He still believed in him now, and so did his father.

"I…" Robin's entire being shook as he fought against this power. "I am not a monster, I am not a killer, and I am not a slave to this power! And if my flesh is yours, then your power is mine! I won't let you use me- I'll use you!"

WHAT?!

Robin pushed himself to his knees, and though this power continued to fight to consume him, he pushed himself all the way to his feet. The pain seemed to dissipate as he took the energy within, and the snowflakes that fell in a radius around him melted and evaporated into steam. The boy felt lighter- uninjured and freer. "You don't control me."

Raven raised his gaze at the sound of Robin's voice, struggling to stay conscious. It was like Robin was glowing with power, and the boy's hair now was entirely white- a sign of the immense amount of trauma his body must have endured to accept that power. "No…" he whispered. "Please, no…"

Without another word, Robin raised his marked hand at the white-haired woman. With the same technique as her, dark magic gathered at his fingertips. Her eyes widened upon realizing what was about to happen, and her body trembled. "How…? How could this be? You are ruin! You are despair!"

Robin cocked his head to the side. "And now, you are finished."

The energy within him let loose in an array of color and shadow, throwing the woman through the courtyard wall and over the edge of the cliffside behind it; she fell into the darkness below.

Watching her corpse tumble out of sight, Raven let out a gasp and turned his attention to his son. He pushed himself up, only to be met with a pool of his own blood that had gathered beneath him, and he winced. "Robin…" he called out, looking across at the boy.

White hair waving in the wind, Robin turned and looked at the tactician, saying nothing at first. The more heartbeats that passed, the less the mark on his hand and the crimson of his eyes continued to glow, and Raven noticed that he started to sway. Robin took a step towards Raven, but the next he staggered, and the boy fell to the ground- unconscious and face-down in the snow. "Robin!"

Forcing himself to stand, Raven pressed his hands against his most severe wound and hobbled to his son. The harshness of the bitter cold caused his breath to catch in his throat, and he practically fell at Robin's side. He watched as the boy's body ever so slightly rose and fell with life, and tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. "Robin… I'm so, so sorry… Just please hang on…"

It felt like eternity as the two laid there and Raven continued to bleed out. Should no one think to look for them here, he was certain that the snowfall would obscure them. If their injuries did not finish them off, then the cold certainly would. He felt his eyes grow heavier and heavier, and his vision grew dark the longer they stayed there.

Perhaps… Perhaps the single silver lining is that with Revah gone and Robin on the verge of death, the Grimleal would have to start from scratch all over again. To make a proper vessel for Grima, it would take another thousand years at least… Raven held onto that thought tightly as his consciousness slipped away; maybe if they were found, it was the satisfaction that came with that realization that would drive him to survive.

"… are down here!"

The tactician, despite hearing the voice of the prince approaching, could not force himself to keep his eyes open. Even as he felt Chrom's hand rest on his body, he continued to slip away.

"Robin, Raven, hang on, okay?" Chrom begged. "Emm is coming… She's coming, I promise. You both need to be okay… Just keep breathing…"

Surrounding by rock and blood spatter, Revah's corpse littered the ground at the bottom of the cliff that Ylisstol's castle sat upon. Her body, already damaged and broken from Grima's temporary possession, had all but fallen apart from the impact of the fall.

And yet… she felt herself gasping for air as she choked back to life. Her eyes looked around wildly, and she knew by the sight around her that there was no way she survived the fall. "That damned man…" she uttered, feeling her spine crack as she sat herself up. "That damned boy…"

"Good. I see you're awake now."

Revah felt a shiver run down her spine, and she turned to look behind her at the source of the voice that had greeted her. It sounded unfamiliar, and yet… Something was eerily familiar about the cadence and the tone. Unable to place either as she looked at the figure emerging from the shadows, she glared furiously. "You… Are you the one who has saved my life?" she hissed.

"Saved you?" As the figure strode into the moonlight, snowflakes fell onto their dark attire and melted. They wore a sheathed sword on their hip and a strange dark blue and golden mask over their eyes, which both complemented their short, dark blue hair and obscured the rest of their features. "Yes… I am the one that saved you. I still need you- your role is not yet done."

"My role?" Revah asked, an air of caution in her words.

"Yes… In fact, your role is just beginning," they said. Slowly and deliberately, the figure extended a hand to the sorceress, inviting her to stand.

She looked at it skeptically. "Who are you?"

"Who am I?" The stranger's left hand rested on their hip, and they seemed to ponder the question. "I am incomplete and imperfect, yet I am here and alive. I am honestly appalled that you did not sense me sooner, but you are even more imperfect than I." Revah's eyes narrowed as the stranger chuckled to themselves. "I have been known by many names- The Creation, The Wings of Despair, The Breath of Ruin…"

"The Fell Dragon…" she finished for them.

"I am the end of all, and yet here I am, giving you another beginning. So stand, child of my blood. As I said, your role is not yet over- your death here would be the end of our goals, and there is much work to be done."

END OF PART ONE

[ thank you for reading and sticking with this in-and-out project of mine. please do not expect consistent or frequent uploads for some time- reaching the end of part one was kind of a milestone I was desperate to hit. as this is the end of part one out of three, please leave any feedback, thoughts, theories, or predictions you have for me in the review section- I am always thrilled to see when people add this to their favorites or follows. I guess it goes to show that even now, after like three years and different bursts of fe: awakening fixations, people still think this weird idea of mine is cool. so, yeah, thanks for letting me keep on going on this crazy little au of mine! ]