Invisible Ties | Fire Emblem Awakening (Novelization)

Chapter 37: To Slay a God

Robin

"The fell dragon has a weakness on the nape of its neck – where its vessel stands," Naga said. "That weakness will be guarded by Grimleal servants. I can send you onto the dragon's back, but the rest is in your hands."

"Then please, milady, and quickly!" Chrom said. "We would ask no more of you. Everyone, prepare yourselves! One way or another, this ends here!"

We drew our weapons. The blinding white light took over again, then vanished split seconds later. We fell onto a different set of scales, these ones black and flying over the roaring sea.

They abruptly came to a halt, and we all flew forwards to land on our stomachs and knees. The fell dragon was still a way off from the divine dragon, but it seemed to have suddenly lost interest.

Not far ahead of us, on the nape of its neck, its human vessel turned around. Her eyes were glowing red now, just like the Risen. They observed us while we tried to stand, and her mouth curled into a smirk.

Before any of us had the chance to move forward, she lifted her hand. A wave of dark magic hurtled towards us, bigger than any I had ever seen. It easily spanned the entire width of the dragon's back and engulfed us like a ten-foot wave.

All I could see was purple light. I wondered if I was drowning in dark sorcery.

Then heart-wrenching screams ripped through the air, and I could see clearly again.

I was the only one left standing.

Chrom was lying on the floor, a pool of blood circling him. There was no visible wound, yet he was bleeding out fast. Alongside him lay our children in a similar state. It was the same story for all of the Shepherds.

I fell to my knees beside my husband and ran my hand over his pale, clammy cheek. Sweat was already dampening the strands of hair that drifted across his forehead, and his jaw was clenched against the pain.

"No," I whispered. "No!"

"M-mother," my daughter groaned. Her eyes were glazed. "This darkness...the future is upon us! Oh, gods..."

"And so it ends, Robin," Grima said. She sauntered towards us. "See how frail these humans bonds of yours are? How short-lived? How pointless? You have all thrown your lives away, and the result is the same!"

"We're not dead yet!" I growled.

"Details, details," Grima sighed. "But, yes, I suppose it's time I got you all off my back, so to speak – permanently."

"No!"

Grima laughed. "You have a choice, you know. It doesn't have to be this way. You can still save all your friends. Become one with me, and we shall spare their lives. Refuse, and watch as I rend the flesh from their bones!"

"No, Robin!" Chrom said. "Don't...do it..."

I looked down at his pale face. Then I looked at my children, who had reached out to take my hands and were now holding them so tightly that I thought they might break. I looked at my best friends and my comrades, all suffering major wounds, all destined to die.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Do you think me a fool? You'll kill them anyway!"

Grima chuckled. "Well, of course I would. I only thought you might want to leave your comrades with a heroic, selfless image. But so be it. Leave them with the final memory that you were their undoing!"

She raised her hand again, and my feet were swept off the ground. I gasped as purple mist closed around me, pressing pain into every nerve ending. The mist became tighter, binding my limbs, and the pain seared deeper. My throat closed up, and my head fell back so that I was floating with my stomach to the sky. The fog crowded into my eyeballs until all I could see was black.