FEHeroes: Realm Guardian

Chapter 15: His other self

The sun sets on the barren kingdom of Askr. Our unit marches back towards camp, near where Sharena’s flowers are. I’m still struck by the events of today, and my mind wanders. Just how fast did death sweep across this world? How long has it been since this alter kingdom came to an end? And Lif...no, Alfonse, how much pain has his heart experienced since he placed the blame on himself.

My pace slows as these thoughts fill my mind. This catches the attention of Alfonse, the one from our world. He stops and lets the rest of the group pass by so he can walk beside me, as he always has. “You alright?” He caringly asks.

“Yeah,” I promise. “I’m just thinking about this kingdom, and about your other self.” I grimly watch the grass in front of me as we walk. “You’ve always had so much pressure put on you, both by others and yourself. You care about your people and have always been preparing yourself to become king. It makes sense that you wouldn’t forgive yourself for an event like this, you care too much.”

Alfonse takes a shaky breath. “You might be right. My alter self has gone through terrible things I can’t imagine, his mind isn’t in a good place.” He stops, then grips my hand. His eyes turn from compassionate to focused. “Nevertheless, Lif is making extreme choices that endanger all of us, including you.” He steps closer. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen.”

I awake in the middle of the night from an uncomfortable bed. Or perhaps my mind is just too restless to sleep. I listen to the dying embers of the fire as I rub my head. Heh. Feels like only yesterday we were liberating Muspell from Surtr’s tyranny, now we’re facing death itself. I wonder how much more fighting everyone will have to go through before this nightmare is over.

I rise from my bed of rocks and stretch. The stars in the night sky stare down at us peacefully. I breathe in the cool night air. Maybe I’ll go for a walk to clear my head, and then try to go back to sleep. I pass Alfonse, leaning against one of the travel packs, he’s sleeping with his hand still rested on his sword. He must have dozed off during his watch. “Rest peacefully,” I whisper. “You’ve been fighting the hardest out of all of us.”

I took a nice stroll in the nearby forest. On my way back through the trees, I begin to feel uneasy. I don’t remember the path being like this. The clearing should be just ahead. Great, I must have been tired enough to not remember where I walked. I should be close, but the darkness of the forest grips me with fear.

I suddenly heard a rustle from the bush. I freeze, heart pounding. An animal? I strain my eyes, searching around me. It’s too quiet.

“Rraaarrgg!” I startle at the fierce yell, whipping my vision towards the pounding footsteps. My heart stops as Lif charges straight at me, sword unsheathed.

“Aah!” I try to run but stumble. His speed overtakes mine. As I tried to fight back with my hands, a sharp hand grips me and knocks me down, his blade stops right against my throat. It's happening again. Líf did the same a while ago, he tried to assassinate Alfonse at night until Sharena came.

I cast my terrified eyes up, his face is inches from mine. I feel the sting of the glowing blade against my neck and his cold breath against my skin. My heart beats fast. He’s not moving his sword, he hasn’t killed me yet. I stare at his face. Somehow, past the deathly pale skin, deep in his red piercing eyes, I find a small resemblance to the Alfonse I know.