The Hurt Reality (Fire Emblem: Awakening Story)

This Is The Beginning of The End

"No matter how much I try, Validar always, always, has thought of you. His precious daughter,  while I just his loyal subject. You know, it hasn't crossed my mind not to kill you, trust me. I wish you would just disappear, so he would want only me. But, dear Maelys. I won't betray him as you have. I won't go against the only father I have ever known!" A flourished wave of black, toxic dark magic misses its mark purposely, it's only for show. Only to scare me.

My friends surround,  battling the various deadlords she had called to the field. I quickly chose my target, letting everyone else team up to take them out while Chrom and I would take the lead and finish this.

His presence is a very present and a strong blessing beside me. I can't help but feel almost invincible as I counterstrike.

I don't miss as she previous had, I'm not here to play games.

Aversa is forced to move back from the brute attack, her own magic not nearly strong enough to cancel out the entirety of mine. I have to give her credit though, she's still standing after I relinquished the high level wind at her. She's sturdy, that's for sure.

"You mention that you are just my father's subject, and I assume he's been a father figure to you, but would a father really send his daughter out to die? All you are is a slave, with no life of your own. How can you live only to serve at the beck and call of a man like him? It's truly pathetic." I goad at the woman as she straightens up, my confidence is full, I don't even feel the slightest bit weary. The end was near, I would end this now. I won't let my father awaken Grima, I won't allow disaster to strike again.

The black widow points a long nailed finger at me, sending a sharp spike of magic mass, to which I dodge easily. "I might say as much about your relationship with the prince.. Or is that there something more? Maybe he shares your bed so in return you risk your life for him, when all you are is his little pet, all for his enjoyment."

I won't let her push me, she wants me to lose control, her words will not have leverage, I will just let them roll right off. "Validar does not care about you,"

"Neither does your prince care for you!" she screeches back, climbing up some rocks. I'm right behind her, I know she's trying to flee, with just one glance behind me I can tell my companions have struggled, but overcame the reborn heroes of old lore. She's looking for escape now.

"I don't have to vie for his attention, I don't have to compete with anyone, he loves me, even when I don't love myself. You lie to try and throw me off, you'll have to try harder!" my eyes widen as a wide bubble-like object of black shadowy gas is flung downwards towards me. Aversa's becoming more crafty, I make a jump off of the rock I had just climbed upon, and roll as I hit the ground, trying to get a safe distance away. If I got trapped in that, I'm sure it'd knock me into paralysis within seconds, or maybe something worse.

"Maybe I should just kill you. You have a son, if I were to accidentally harm you beyond our use, that young man would suit just find as a substitute.. He has your blood after all, Grima wouldn't be able to reject it. Then again, it could just rip him to shreds but from what I can tell, he seems very useful already. Grima already has made themself known to the boy.."

My heart stops.

And then thuds.

It hits so hard against my chest.

I don't even sense the attack before it's too late.

Her magic hits me square in the lower stomach and sends me flying backwards, the air is flung out of my lungs and I hit the ground, and slide on my side a couple of more feet away. I can see the dirt and dust cloud around me as I unclench my eyes and fight off the burning of the torn skin from impact.

"Maelys!" Chrom exclaims from somewhere, I can't tell which direction, my brain feels like it got just as jumbled as my body.

A spiked heel lands in front of my face, "But," her sultry voice says, and she leans down, taking a fistful of my shirt in one hand and with the other forcing my face to look into her wicked one. "As much as I despise and wish you dead, Validar wants you, and just as your loyal to that prince. I am loyal to the one I love." she drops me without notice and my head hits the ground again, sending stars and the universe dazzling around.

This is what I get for being cocky.

She took me off guard.

She knew that above anything else, Morgan would be my weak spot.

I dig my nails into the dirt and force myself up, just as she disappears into a black vortex.

A steady shoulder goes underneath my arm and helps to haul the rest of my body up out off the dirt, "You alright?"

The fuzzy feeling starts to wear off, "I'll live," I reply, allowing myself to lean against Chrom, then giving out an exasperated sigh, "I got too confident, damn it. I was sure I had her and then this!"

"It's not her we are after, it's Validar." Chrom replies gently.

I gasp as realization pounds it's way through my head, "That must mean!"

"His preparations are complete.. She wouldn't leave before Validar was ready."

I squeeze my eyes shut and try to will away the enormous headache that's approaching quickly. It must be in response to my father's efforts to awaken Grima. "I can tell something is happening.. We have to stop him." I do a quick scan, keeping tabs on our friends to make sure everyone is alright, I can't help but do so much at once, but it only serves to make me confused and Chrom is quick to notice.

"Just hold on, Maelys. Don't let him get to you," he says reassuringly, then giving me space, he takes matters into his hands and addresses the situation to the troops who stand around, now that the battle has ended, awaiting their orders.

I look towards the stone walls. Just behind them I know my father lies. Creating and reviving an evil being that cannot be allowed to exist, we couldn't afford to waste anymore time. "We pursue, men! This is it. We end this now!"

Chrom rings out the call of advancement. I try to linger on his voice, use it as my driving force but the sound of my beating pulse deafens inside of my brain. I know this is an attack on my body, an attack from Validar to change the course of this battle for his benefit.

I think towards the future and how I want this to go, how the plan had been laid out. I just had to hold on until then, and pull back just in time. That's all I had to do. I could do it, for the sake of my friends, for the sake of my son, and for the sake of the life that would be put in danger. He didn't have to do this, but it was the only way.

Be confident.

Be strong.

Be yourself.

"It's time, Mae. We must lead our troops."

How his face could be so calm and gentle in a time like this.. It was ironic. He could die, I could kill him just as prophesied, yet he trusts me. That face held nothing but honest and complete trust in my abilities.

If only his daughter knew, she'd be spitting fire.

Chrom's hand extends towards me, and I take it, squeezing gently white finding all the comfort of the world in just the smallest of touches. Inside, I knew, without a doubt that this is what we were always meant to be. Hand in hand, leading our small band of loyal shepherds and able to take on any foe that stood in our way.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: I apologize profusely for the delay in this story, I have decided to upload a mini chapter just to tide you guys over, I plan to finish this series in the next chapter or 2. So there may be some mini time skips which I also apologize for, but I just have had a severe case of writer's block and don't want to leave you all hanging with no direction as to how my take on Fire Emblem: Awakening could have been. Thank you all for being patient, and I truly do think of y'all alot and appreciate the votes and reads! I hope you enjoyed this little tidbit, and I will to finish this fan-fic out by October! - Melia ]