He found her in the field, and fate changed. But they still had much to learn about the past - and the future. A Fire Emblem: Awakening novelization.
~Cover art by Liirin Risun~
Risen began to emerge along the ridges of the dragon's back, clawing their way out from between the black scales. Their red eyes glowed brighter than any the Shepherds had seen before, and their very presence reeked of dark magic.
"Be ready," Cordelia leveled her lance. Her pegasus pawed at the ground uncertainly. One of its white wings still hung limply at its side, injured from the fight at the Dragons' Table.
"I was born ready," Sully grinned and kicked her horse. Virion lurched violently in the saddle behind her, almost losing his grip on his bow as the cavalier charged into battle towards the nearest Risen.
The tension in the air grew, and Chrom felt a chill in his heart. "Wait!" He called out, lifting his arm to hold the other Shepherds back. "Something's not right; hold on—"
The sky above them split open with a deafening crack, and a pulse of sheer, infernal power burst forth. The Fire Emblem flashed with light, and Tiki raised her arms, a shimmering barrier materializing around them. But ahead, outside the barrier, Sully's horse reared in fright.
Virion turned back to look at Cherche, his eyes wide with horror. "My lord!" the wyvern knight screamed. Minerva bared her fangs, prepared to leap forwards.
"No, Cherche!" Kellam grabbed onto Minerva's tail. The wyvern roared at him in protest. Then the dark energy struck, shaking the divine barrier and encasing them in a veil of shadow.
As it cleared, Chrom could see Sully, Virion, and the white horse wrapped in a sickening miasma, the shadows drifting in and out of their bodies, distorting their shapes. Sully looked down at her hands in confusion, and turned to meet Chrom's horrified eyes, before she and the other two evaporated into black dust.
"What is this power?" Lucina's eyes were wide with fear. "He is even stronger than he was in my time..."
Chrom stared at the place where the white horse had been a moment ago in stunned silence.
"Milord," Aversa's husky voice sounded near his shoulder. She pointed towards the dragon's head. "He has expended much of his strength... it will take him a while to regain it. We must strike now."
"Yes... right," Chrom drew a shaking breath. "Shepherds... with me!" He raised Falchion in the air, the blade glowing with its awakened power, and charged forwards.
At the dragon's head, Grima's human form tipped her head back and exhaled deeply. She closed her eyes, and her shape began to disappear into a dark vortex.
"While we step back a bit... shall we give them some special playmates?"
Three distinct shadows appeared amongst the Risen. A warhorse reared, its spectral plate armor clattering as it phased into physical existence. A pegasus tossed its head as the shadows slipped from its feathers. A woman rose slowly to her feet, her characteristic smirk slowly spreading across her face as her dark robes swirled around her.
She cupped her hands around her mouth, and raised her voice above the wind:
"Lucina...! Come and give your Aunty Tharja a kiss."
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