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The castle in Ylissetol stood as the goal; a safe haven for the desperate remains of the Shepherds to return to. This was their last mission, to get back safely and find their children. Everything imaginable had gone wrong at the Dragon’s Table, they lost both their leader and their tactician in one fell swoop. Grima, the god of destruction, had risen, taking hold of Robin, the Shepherd’s tactician, the vessel bred for this specific purpose, and using her hand to drive a lightning bolt from her favorite Thoron tome directly through the heart of one of her closest friends, the prince of Ylisse and leader of the Shepherds, Chrom. The Shepherds were left in shambles, without the leader that drove them forward or the tactician who got them through impossible odds time and time again. Their loss was felt in the hearts of every member, but none more so then their spouses.It was Frederick that had stepped up to lead the Shepherds home, to Ylissetol, to the castle, where they were based, and where the children of many members of the army had been kept safe until their parents return. Not everyone made it back. Panne had been taken during a Risen attack, leaving Libra to raise their son, Yarne, now truly the last Taguel, alone. The War Monk was up to the task, his heart filled with love for his son, yet it would never stop aching for the loss of his wife. Nowi and Donnel had also fallen, leaving the army in shock. How could a manakete, a dragon, be taken down so easily by mere risen? And Donnel? He was something of a prodigy! When he joined, no one held much hope for him, but he quickly rose to become one of the strongest men in the army, and at such a young age! How could he have fallen as well! And together at that! Did Grima’s awakening give the risen that much power? And now their daughter, Nah, was left all alone. No one was sure just what would happen to her. Someone had to take her in, but who could handle the half-dragon child? There was no time to think about that now, though. For now, they had to get home. The capital city of Ylisstol was safe for the time being, but there was the ever looming threat of the massive dragon god seeking the worlds destruction. This place wasn’t likely to last forever. But, for now, it was all they had. In the borders of the city, in the walls of the castle, the children of several members of the Shepherds were safe. The moment they were able, the parents rushed in, eager to see their children once again. Yet, two figures lingered behind for a little longer, weighed down by their losses. The two looked at each other, as if able to tell what the other was thinking. The silence was finally broken by the brunette Pegasus Knight.
“We can’t stay out here forever,” Sumia said with a great sigh. It was as much for herself as it was for the man standing next to her.“Hey what do you mean? I was waiting for you!” There was a forced laugh as Henry did his best to lighten the mood.She offered a small smile as she looked at the Dark Mage, knowing his habit of hiding how he truly felt. She knew he was likely hiding behind his usual smile and laugh. “You don’t have to be like that, you know. You can be honest with me. Isn’t that something you were working on? Being true to your feelings?”Henry shook his head, eyes closed like usual, smile plastered on his face. “I’m not hiding anything, Sumia. Come on, you know that! I can handle this! I’m fine! I…” He couldn’t keep this up. This was too much; Robin had been everything to him! She gave him meaning to his life, meaning beyond fighting and blood and death. Before her, he couldn’t see a future for himself in a peaceful world, but she gave him something to live for, a future to look forward to, and now she was gone. “I…” he repeated. He shook his head, rubbing his watery eyes with one hand, attempting to push back the tears. “You know me too well,” he again forced a smile and laughed. He may be upset, but he wasn’t just going to break down and cry.Sumia gestured her head toward the wall. She wanted to see her children, and she was sure Henry wanted to see his, but it seemed like he needed a little time to talk about this first. “Of course I do. After that little body swapping incident, I’m pretty sure I know you inside out.” She giggled a little at the memory. She tried to relax a little, as hard as that was. She knew this was the best way to help him, and while she needed help and comfort as well, she knew that Henry was less able to deal with this on his own. She needed to be there for him, or he may just self-destruct.A more genuine laugh came from him as he sat down against the wall, next to her. “Nyahaha! Yeah! I guess so!” It was nice to be reminded that Sumia was someone he could trust. She was his friend, a close friend. Perhaps not as close as their spouses were to each other, but still very close.Sumia was glad to hear this laugh. She could tell the difference between his fake laughter that he used to hide his pain, and his true, genuine laugh. “You know I’ll be here for you, right? This… what happened… It… it won’t be easy, but we can help each other. We need to be strong. I need to be there for Lucina and Cynthia, and you need to be there for Morgan and Marc.”“Hey now, what made you think I’m not strong?” Henry faked offence, reeling back slightly, before laughing at his own joke. “I’m going to be there for them,” he stated, his tone becoming slightly more serious. “They’re all that’s left of her, and my only family. I’m going to protect them, no matter what.” He was firm in this statement. Anyone who knew him well enough knew that when he sounded this serious, he truly meant it.Sumia smiled, it seemed like he’d be alright. It would be hard, but, he had something to live for. This gave her a sense of relief. She leaned forward, quickly grabbing him into a hug. “Henry, I’m so glad to hear that!”“Oh!” Henry was surprised by the sudden gesture. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her as well. No use fighting it. “Aww, Sumia, you know I’ll be fine.”She gave a very quiet giggle, “Yeah, I know. You’re stronger than that.” A moment later, she released him. “Well, I think we kept them waiting long enough. Let’s go see them.” She started to get up, offering him a hand to help him up with.He took it and pulled himself up with her help. “Yeah! I’m dying to see their faces again. Come on!” He ran off toward where the kids were being kept, looking back only a second to see Sumia running after him, nearly tripping over her own feet as she followed. The two went their separate ways soon after, Sumia heading up to the girl’s rooms, knowing the exact path to take, thanks to all the years she spend living in the castle. Henry also knew the way, having also lived here with Robin. Without even having to think of the path, his feet took the lead, until they stopped in front of the door of Morgan and Marc’s shared room.This was harder than he expected. He took a deep breath in, knowing what was to come. The smile he forced on his face quickly returned before he slowly opened the door. He peeked inside, seeing the two children, just barely 8 years old, playing together, both turning their heads to look at the door as they heard it open. He tossed the door open and their faces lit up. They quickly ran over and wrapped their arms around him.“Dad! You’re back!” Morgan cried. She grabbed one of his hands and tried to pull him over to the middle of the room. “Look! Look! I’ve been working on something!”Henry laughed, his kids enthusiasm really cheering him up. Morgan really did take after him. “Okay! Show me!” he cheered, wanting to encourage his kids.“Morgan!” Marc cried, shooting his sister an annoyed look. “Slow down! I wanna wait for mom!” He let go of Henry and peeked outside the door, expecting to see his mother coming down the hall. It wasn’t at all unusual for her to show up after his father did, after all.Henry’s smile faltered, however. It seemed the mood of this reunion was going to dampen already. He couldn’t keep it from them. “She- your mom isn’t-“ he stopped himself. Marc was looking at him with such a sad face! He couldn’t bear to see it!“She isn’t here yet?” Marc asked. She had to be coming, right? She wouldn’t just leave them, that was impossible!Henry couldn’t look at them, it hurt too much to see them so sad. He couldn’t keep it from them! Why did he have to do this alone? There was no one else who could help him here. With Robin gone, he’d have to do everything alone now. He made his way over to one of the beds in the room and sat down, turning his face to the floor. “She’s not coming back,” he managed to choke out, the lump forming in his throat making it difficult. “We lost her.” He refused to say she was dead. She wasn’t! She was still there, just… her body wasn’t just her anymore.There was a long moment of silence while the children tried to make sense of his words. Lost? What did that mean? They knew their father wasn’t afraid to tell about death, so did that mean she wasn’t dead? Then what happened to her? Why wouldn’t she come back?
It was Morgan who spoke first. “Dad, what do you mean?” she asked. She looked up at her father, but couldn’t seem to meet his eyes.It was hard not to cry, but he had to be strong for them. He couldn’t let them see him weak. Damn it! He would have been so much better at this years ago! He forced back the tears before speaking again, “Just that. She’s gone. Not dead, but… gone. She’s not herself anymore. Grima… Grima stole her.” That was the only way he could put it, really.“What does that mean?” Morgan asked again, still not fully understanding. Even for an adult, it may be hard to understand what the Dark Mage meant by that.Henry wasn’t sure how else to put it in a way they would understand, but he tried anyway. “You know why we left, right?”“You were going to stop Grima, right?” Marc asked. He knew his mom spent a lot of time planning for this. He watched her make those plans! He helped! Well, as much as an 8 year old could help.“Yeah, we were going to stop Grima. But… your mom made a mistake… We made a mistake. She was meant to be the vessel for Grima’s return. We thought that killing Validar would be enough, but we marched right in there with everything Grima needed and no way to stop it.” His fists clenched. He couldn’t even be there for her when it happened! He couldn’t even see her final moments! The only ones who saw it were Validar and Chrom, and they were both dead! Maybe if he were there, he could have done something! Why couldn’t he stop these damn tears from welling up?!Morgan and Marc were still unsure what exactly he meant, but their dad was acting weird, for him at least. He never got this emotional! It was starting to set in. Their mom was gone. He said she wasn’t dead, but if she wasn’t coming back…“She’s gone?” Marc asked, tears welling up and starting to spill over. His voice shook as he spoke, holding nothing back.Henry nodded, not easily able to speak any more. He looked up to see both of his children starting to cry. It had a sobering effect on him. He had to be there for them! He had to be strong, he couldn’t cry, he had to comfort them! He opened his arms to invite them into a hug. They sat down by his sides and clung to him, burying their weepy faces into the fabric of his clothing. “We still have each other,” he stated. He didn’t know what he’d do without them. He’d have nothing to live for. “It’ll be okay, I promise.” He held them tight to his body, letting them just cry it out, doing his best to comfort them. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.” The next day, it came time for everyone to decide where to go from here. Henry had a plan. He knew of a place, far enough from here and out of the way. It would be safe, he was sure. Grima was sure to target Ylisstol soon, and he didn’t want to put Morgan and Marc in danger.
“You could stay here, you know. You’re like family! Besides, you’d be pretty helpful to have around here,” Lissa told him. She seemed sad to see him go, they had been friends for so long now!“Nyahaha, oh I’d love to be here for whatever big battle will happen, but I really need to put Morgan and Marc first. Sad I’ll miss that though!” Henry replied, seeming to be back to his usual self.“Strange to hear you being so responsible,” Lissa commented, clearly a little amused. “I’m not sure we’ll be sticking around long. Lon’qu here is supposed to go back to Ferox soon for something or other.”Lon’qu looked unamused by his wife’s attitude, though he knew it was likely on purpose, “Fight to decide the next West Khan,” he explained.“Yeah, that,” Lissa said, giggling at his oh-so-serious attitude. “What about you, Sumia? Gonna be like Henry and get out of here with Lucina and Cynthia?”“Oh!” Sumia perked up, almost surprised that she had been addressed. “No, I’m staying here. Someone has to take care of the city. With Chrom gone, I guess it’s my job now…” especially if Lissa was leaving... This responsibility fell on her now.“Yikes, I don’t envy you, Sumia. Still, you’ll make a great queen! I mean, you already were.” She could handle this, Lissa was sure.“Yeah, sorry for leaving all this on you,” Henry said, giving an embarrassed smile.“Thanks, Lissa, and it’s alright, Henry. You both have your own things to take care of.” Sumia sighed.“Hey now, it’s not nice to call Morgan and Marc ‘things’,” Henry said with a tone of obviously fake offence.Sumia giggled, “Right, sorry, that was mean.” She saw Henry smile, apparently glad to cheer her up even a little. “Well, you’re both welcome back here any time. I’m sure Lucina and Cynthia would love to see Morgan, Marc, and Owain again. They always played so well together.”“Yeah! We’ll have to come by some time! I’m sure Owain will miss Cynthia and Lucina!” Lissa agreed.“Morgan and Marc will miss them too, I bet! We’ll visit when we get the chance, for sure!” Henry also piped up. Over the next few days, Henry, Morgan, and Marc all prepared to leave. The castle was bustling with activity as the others prepared to leave as well, but Henry was one of the last, barring Lissa, as he and his kids had the most to settle away. Finally, after some sad farewells between the children, and some more melancholy goodbyes, punctuated by Henry’s forced cheerfulness, they set out, on their way to a little safe place Henry knew about. There, they could hopefully live in some peace, as peaceful as one could in this devastated world.
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It took the small family quite some time to reach their destination. Two weeks of travel, occasionally interrupted to kill a few stray Risen, but thankfully this area wasn’t yet overtaken like the west side of the continent was. Henry didn’t mind the fighting, of course, but every time he came across the undead, he worried for the safety of the twins. He’d have to teach them to fight soon. They had already been studying, of course, but they had never actually fought before now. Robin was proficient in both swords and magic, but Henry could only really teach magic, he knew little about other weapons, just the bare basics. He found himself missing her more by the day, but he had to stay strong and be there for Morgan and Marc. Finally, though, after that two week trek, they arrived at their destination: a small house to the east of Ylisse, where he and Robin sometimes went to spend time together when Robin wasn’t needed at the castle. It was their vacation spot, their little hideaway, and their sanctuary. As much as they liked the people in the castle, they needed some time away sometimes. But now, it was the where the little family would be hiding, far away from Grima, away from Robin’s body.“Well, here we are! Finally!” Henry announced to the two children who stood at each side.“This is where we’re gonna be living now?” asked Morgan.“You said you and mom spent a lot of time here, right?” Marc chimed in.“Yep! This place is great! You two lived here too, but you were a lot smaller then.” Probably wouldn’t remember that, but at least they already had a room and beds! Made things easier. “Well, let’s go in!”With a little trouble from the slightly warped door frame, Henry pulled the door open. The house was filled with dust thanks to years of disuse, and the sudden burst of air being let in through the door only kicked it up.“Dad, it’s all dusty!” Morgan cried out.“Nyahaha! It only needs to be aired out! Like this!” Henry pulled out a spare wind tome and blasted the inside of the house with a wind spell, which sent dust flying everywhere, but the only way out was the door. The three of them got hit by the dusty wind bouncing back off the walls, covering them in the several-years-old dust.The children both screeched, then laughed in delight. Henry smiled and laughed along. Hearing their laughter really brightened up any day. “Nyahaha, oops, guess we should have opened the windows first,” he said with an embarrassed smile as he dusted himself, then the kids off.“Do it again!” they both cheered.“Sure! But maybe first we should open all the windows.”The three of them spent the day cleaning the place. Opening windows to let the old, stuffy air out, using wind magic to dust because it was so much more fun than using conventional dusters, even though it had a habit of making everything fly everywhere, but that was alright. The entire time, they were laughing and playing around, just having fun for the first time in what felt like forever. Eventually, they all got tired out and decided that was enough for the day.Henry put the two to bed in their own room, and then went to his. The room that was once his and Robin’s. As he entered the room, the one room they hadn’t touched yet, he was hit by a wave of emotions. They spent so much time here, together. So many nights in that shared bed, both of them sitting, or laying down with a nose in a book, or Henry over at the desk working out plans for his new curses, while Robin studied. Henry getting bored and deciding it was the perfect time to pester Robin, maybe playing a harmless prank on her to get her attention, only to receive another prank back later! Or sometimes just rolling over next to her and holding her, resting his head on her shoulder. All those nights spent with her in his arms while the fell asleep, or sometimes, when he woke up with nightmares of his past, her holding him, whispering comforting words until they were able to fall asleep again, no longer plagued by those memories.But that was all over now. She was gone, and he wasn’t going to get her back. He needed to accept that. He hated how such happy memories now made him so sad. He crawled into the bed made for two, alone. Sleep was difficult with memories of this place filling his mind. He didn’t cry, but he found sleep simply wouldn’t come.He jolted up when he heard the door creak open, and Marc step inside.“Dad… umm, is it okay if I stay with you tonight?” he asked. “Morgan’s already asleep and… I don’t wanna be alone.”Henry forced a gentle smile, “Of course. Come here, stay as long as you need.” He moved over to make more room on the other side, flicking the sheets down for Marc.Marc slid himself under the sheets, already looking more comfortable, though sadness still dominated his expression. “Dad… I miss mom…” he said.Henry’s eyes looked down, a lump formed in his throat. “I do too…” he managed to say.“She’s… not coming back, right?” the child asked.“No… She’s gone. I… don’t think there’s a way to save her…” Henry replied. “But, I’m still here. I love you both so much, you know? I won’t let anything happen to you.”Marc smiled a little, his little eyes closing. “I love you too, dad.”What would he do without them, Henry thought. He closed his eyes as well, and soon, finally managed to get to sleep. The next day, the house was cleaned and put back together. Things were peaceful for a time, as peaceful as the end of the world could be, with only the occasional Risen attack, which Henry used as training practice for the twins. They were quickly growing stronger, but Henry couldn’t help but worry about them. He saw how they missed their mother, and while he tried to help them, while he tried to bring them laughter and smiles and give them some joy in this time, he knew he couldn’t do everything for them. He needed her back, he pined for her every night he slept alone, but he knew he’d never get her back. A year had passed and the Risen attacks grew more frequent, larger hordes approached the house, weekly at first, then twice a week, every other day, until they seemed to be happening daily. Henry started to grow exhausted with the fighting, even he needed a break, but the hordes grew relentless. He was sure he wouldn’t have lasted as long as he had if not for Morgan and Marc. He stayed alive for them. He needed them, and they needed him. They did a good job helping fend off the undead, but there was only so much the small family could do. They had to leave. This house that meant so much to the dark mage needed to be abandoned.The day had come, the three rushed around getting the last of their things packed, which at this point was just the supplies they’d need to survive the journey.“Morgan! Marc! You two almost ready?” Henry called. “We need to get going before the Risen show up!”“Yeah, dad, we’re almost done!” Marc called back. “Morgan’s just taking forever!”“Hey!” Morgan shouted in protest. “You’re the one who lost track of your tome!”Henry couldn’t help but smile and laugh at their antics. They really made life worth living, even in these hard times. “I’ll be outside, on the lookout. Come find me if you need any help, okay?” The twins answered in the affirmative, so he stepped out.Henry took a seat on the porch, looking out over the view. There wasn’t much to look at; the land had been devastated in the many battles that took place here. There were scorch marks dotting the land from powerful fire spells, piles of gore that had yet to be eaten by wild animals or washed away in the rain, it was not the picturesque landscape it once was, but Henry didn’t mind. To him, this held its own beauty. This marked the battles he and his kids fought to protect each other, the battles they won. The scorch marks proved how powerful his kids were, something he was very proud of, and he was never bothered by gore in the first place.There was a problem approaching, however. The Risen were coming across the horizon. “Ah, well that’s wonderful. One more fight before we go then,” he mumbled to himself. He was about to turn toward the door to call for Morgan and Marc to come help, when he noticed something. There was something different, leading the horde. It looked powerful, too. Maybe it would be best if the kids stayed out… They were smart, if things looked bad for him, they could probably come up with a plan. He trusted them. They could sneak attack this creature, if needed.Henry stood up and walked out to meet the horde, resolved to fight. He would take out this leader first, perhaps with a quick curse, and then he could call Morgan and Marc to help clean up the rest. As he approached, however, he realized it may not be so easy. As his eyes fell on her face, he realized he had no chance.“Oh, now this is interesting. I knew my army was having a little trouble in this area, now I see why. So this is where you had been hiding.” A sick, amused grin spread across Grima’s stolen face as he stood across the field from his vessel’s husband. This trip may very well be worth his time, it seemed.Henry stood there, in shock. He never imagined that the dark god would come after him personally! As much as he liked to boast about his power as a dark mage, he didn’t think Grima would ever care enough to come here!“Nothing to say? I know her memories, you know, I know this is unlike you. Normally, I wouldn’t concern myself with the life of a mere Grimleal pawn, especially one who defected, but as you were her husband, I know more about you then I ever cared to. I know your strengths, your weaknesses. I know you, Henry, and I know it is unlike you to be so quiet.” The fell dragon seemed to be enjoying this. Did he simply like taunting his victims, knowing they could do nothing about it? “Are you scared?”Henry felt a lot of things right now. The pain of seeing his beloved wife like this, her body used by someone who is not her, taunting him, it made him angry, he wanted to fight, he wanted to kill Grima, but he felt something else. He could feel her. She was there, in her body, still alive; she had just been overtaken by Grima’s power. He couldn’t kill her; he couldn’t even try to kill Grima! Grima’s words, however, did invoke a sense of fear, not for his own life, but for his kids. If Grima knew about him, he must also know about them! What would he do to them if he got to them? Henry couldn’t do anything! He stood there, silent, his knuckles turning white as he clutched his tome, unable to attack, but unwilling to run.Grima laughed, “Shock, perhaps? You’re acting very unusual, if her memories of you are accurate. Who knows, she did have a poor memory, didn’t she. Perhaps you weren’t the kind, playful husband she remembers from her life married to you. Maybe you’re just the brutal, sadistic monster she saw on the battlefield. Hmm? Which is it?” Grima paused a moment, only to get no answer, other than a shift in Henry’s expression, as if he wanted to defend himself. He was both, and Grima knew that, there was no mistaking Robin’s feelings. “Were you really fit to be a husband to her? The broken little boy you were, who saw no love in your childhood. How could you know how to treat her? How could you know love? You were raised to fight and kill; you love to bath in the blood of your enemies, don’t you?”Henry’s head fell; he couldn’t deny Grima’s words. They stung, they felt right. He had said similar things about himself in the past, how much he loved fighting and killing. But… he loved Robin, right? That’s why they got married! That’s why they had kids! He loved her, and he loves them! Right?“Oh, and what about those precious little children you two had? You were nice enough to them when she was around, but I wonder what kind of experiments you preformed on them in the name of furthering your research in dark magic.”“Stay away from them!” Henry yelled, his expression suddenly shifting to anger.“So you do have a voice! I was getting a little worried there.” Grima laughed, he finally provoked Henry into speaking. “Calm down now, I’m not going to hurt them. That’d be such a waste. After all, they’re so loyal to their mother.”The fear returned. What would Grima do to them? Henry took a step forward, holding up his tome to open. He’d defend them, even if it cost his life.“You’re going to fight me?” Grima laughed. “Why are you getting so defensive? Are you not even going to let their dear mother see them? She is still in here, you know. Perhaps I was right… What have you been doing to them now that she’s gone? Are they so disfigured that you cannot even let her see?”Henry froze again. What could he do? He needed to keep Grima away, but… Robin was there. He couldn’t hurt her. No matter how he tried to rationalize it, knowing that Grima would never let her go, he just couldn’t do it.“You know, Henry, I should just kill you. As a former Grimleal, you are disloyal, and as a husband and father, I can’t be sure you weren’t abusive, but you are a highly talented dark mage. I have a use for you. Most of my Grimleal are dead, and those that are left lack the power I would like them to have. I could simply grant it to them, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to handle it. You know how mortals so often become lost in the powers of dark magic. You, however, have proven to be able to handle it. I can grant you more, and I don’t need to worry about you losing yourself. So, here is my proposal; come with me, back to the Plegian castle, join me in the destruction of this world, and I will grant you all the power you desire. You can kill and destroy to your hearts content, all your enemies will fall before you, and no one will be able to touch you. You, and your kids, will be my agents of destruction. If you refuse, of course, I will simply have no choice but to kill you. The kids will need a parent, of course, and as their other parent, I will take them under my wing.”Henry took a moment to process this. If he joined, he would be working for Grima, but Morgan and Marc would be safe from the Risen. Not only that, but… knowing that Robin was there gave him hope. Maybe he could get her back, somehow. He let out a breath he didn’t notice he was holding and lowered his tome. “Alright, I’ll go with you.”Grima grinned. Perfect, now he would gain three powerful agents to assist in his goals. Henry was reluctant now, but perhaps once he got a taste of the power the Fell Dragon could provide, his bloodthirsty nature would come back out. No doubt the kids would be loyal as long as Henry remained so, and perhaps they would simply stay loyal because he had the body of their mother.“Good, you made a wise choice. Now, how about you go get them for me? I’ll wait here.” Grima shooed Henry away. Back at the house, Morgan and Marc were almost ready to go. They had just finished gathering everything when Henry came back inside.“Oh! Dad! We’re ready to go now!” Marc cheered as he ran up to his father. “Wait… What’s wrong? You look sad.”Oh, he did a bad job of hiding his emotions this time. Must be the shock. “Oh, do I? Nah, I’m not sad! But there is a tiny change in plans. We’re still leaving, but, we’re gonna be going to Plegia.”“Plegia?” Morgan questioned as she entered the room. “Why? Isn’t it overrun with Risen?”“Yeah,” Henry admitted, “But they’re gonna be on our side now.”Both children looked confused. What did that mean?“Come on, let’s go,” Henry said, opening the door and beckoning them to follow. “You can ask questions while we walk.” They noticed the Risen army pretty quickly, but they were supposed to be on their side now, right? But what caught their attention as the got closer, what Marc noticed first, wasn’t the massive wall of undead, but the one leading it.“Wait… Mom?!” His eyes went wide in shock. He closed them, rubbing them a little just to make sure they weren’t tricking him.“What do you mean?” Morgan asked, until she noticed too. “Dad… Is that really her?!”Henry wasn’t sure what to say. It wasn’t, but… it also was. “Kind of,” he admitted. “But not quite… That’s Grima. He looks like your mother, but he’s not her.” They’d see, unfortunately.Once they were in speaking range, Grima spoke up. “You two must be Morgan and Marc. I know all about you from your mother’s memories.” He looked up at Henry, “I see they’re well, at least. Good.” He gave a small smirk, he knew they’d be fine. “Now, let’s go. It’ll be a long travel back.”
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The trip to Plegia had been a long and tiring one, full of anxiety and uncomfortable silence. Grima kept mostly to himself, leaving Henry to take care of Morgan and Marc. This was fine by the dark mage, he had been caring for them alone for years, and the distance made things a little easier on him. Still, there were so many questions left unanswered, many of which were voiced by the children, but shared by Henry. So many questions were answered with an apologetic ‘I don’t know’ from Henry. What was going to happen? What would they do? He didn’t know, though he had some ideas which he didn’t say.Finally, after their long travel, they made it. The castle of the Plegian royalty was much the same as it had always been, except now it was Grima who sat upon the throne, surrounded by his undead servants. Once they made it back, a smile spread across Grima’s face. “You three,” he said, looked toward Henry and the children, “Come here.” The three, not wanting to provoke Grima, came in closer. “This is where you’ll all be living from now on. Beautiful, isn’t it? Much better than that little shack you lived in.” Grima started to walk, headed for the door, expecting the others to follow.“Now that we’re here, I think it’s time I tell you how things are going to work,” Grima started. “The two little whelps will be training. Magic, physical combat, I don’t care, but you’ll be expected to fight for me once you are skilled. Failure will not be tolerated.” Morgan and Marc looked nervously at each other, and then at Henry. They were skilled already, but Grima was terrifying! Their father wouldn’t let that happen, right?Grima glanced back, giving an amused smirk once the children suddenly looked forward again, trying to hide their fear. He looked back toward Henry this time, “And you… You’ve already proven your skill, of course. I’m well aware of what you’re capable of, and of your… taste for violence. You’ll be working for me. In fact… I already have a little job for you.” Grima paused, waiting to see if Henry would react in any way, which, surprisingly, the mage managed to keep from doing. “Hmm, no reaction? How unusual. Robin’s memories of you are very different from how you are acting now. What could have made that change? Is it me?” Grima chuckled, “No matter. We will discuss this job later. For now, I will show you to your rooms. Unfortunately, though only the best of my Risen serve me here, they still don’t have all their mental faculties, so it falls on me to do such a simple task. I will give you time to rest, then we can continue this discussion.” It had hardly been a moments rest before Henry heard a quiet, nervous knocking on the door, before it carefully creaked open to reveal two scared faces. Henry gave them a comforting smile and beckoned them in. The two children ran inside, rushing over to hug their father.“Father,” Marc said, barely able to hold back his tears. “We’ll be okay, right?” there was fear in the child’s voice.“Of course! We’ll be just fine!” Henry said, trying to sound cheerful. All the years of pretending to be alright had given him plenty of experience when it was needed now. “Look on the bright side, we don’t have to worry about the Risen anymore! Oh, maybe we’ll learn how to summon them! Nyahaha!” His laugh was hallow, his children could tell.“Father…” Marc whined.Henry sighed, knowing when his jokes fell flat. “It’ll be alright. I promise. Grima isn’t going to hurt you, I won’t let him.” Never, not in a hundred thousand years, that was one thing he was sure of.“Dad… Grima is really strong, and you always did lose to mom in fights, and Grima…” Morgan said.“Hey! Your mom always won because she was brilliant and I loved her. Grima isn’t your mom. I can handle Grima, I promise!” The children still seemed unsure, but took comfort in his words none the less.Henry let them rest with him a few moments longer before speaking up once again. “Well, we better get you two back to your rooms.”“Can’t we stay with you?” Marc asked. He needed the comfort right now.“It’d… probably be better if we didn’t… Wouldn’t want ol’ Grima to get all huffy because we weren’t where he left us.” He tried to speak in a humorous tone, but knew the serious implications of his words. He wanted to comfort them, but their safety came first.“Alright…” Marc sighed.“Well, let’s get back,” he said, shifting to encourage them to stand up once again. Taking a hand in each of his hands, he lead them back to their rooms, where he sent them to bed, tucking them in and kissing each on the forehead good night. It was the little things, small comforts, that would get them through this. Henry was awoken the next day to an erratic knock on his door. A knock that only got more aggressive as he took his time getting up. “Hold on, I only just woke up! I still feel the comforting darkness of sleep calling me!” He was sure this wasn’t the kids. Their simply sounded different. Of course, back talking Grima was a dangerous act.Thankfully, it wasn’t Grima. Henry opened the door to find, instead, a Risen, who handed him a note before shambling off. The note was short and simple. ‘Meet me in the throne room once you’re prepared. I have a task for you. Don’t keep me waiting.’It didn’t take Henry long to prepare for the day, though he did drag his feet somewhat. Soon, though, he found himself before the Plegian throne, the image of his wife before him.“Good morning, Henry,” Grima greeted, a sickening grin upon his face. “As I mentioned, I have a task for you today. I’m sure it’ll be interesting for you.”“What is it? Are you gonna have me level a village? Raise an army? What direction are we going here, up or down?” Henry asked, apparently having gained some more confidence now.Grima chucked, then sighed, “Well, you sound more lively today. Today, you will be going up, to bring down a Exalt.” Grima paused, letting it sink in. Henry didn’t visibly react, but dread filled his body. “We’ve been having trouble breaking into the borders of Ylissetol. Exalt Sumia has been keeping her army strong, moral is high, despite my best efforts. You, however, could be the key to bring them all down. You’ve lived separate from society for a few years now, they have no way to know you now work for me. More importantly, Sumia considers you her friend, correct? Though she has been careful up to now, she will be careless with you, and allow you to get close. From there, it will be easy. You can decide on the method, I don’t care, as long as she dies, but try and make it a spectacle for her army to remember. You can do this, correct? Your previous friendship won’t affect this?”Henry was silent when receiving his orders, but quickly responded. “Yes! I can kill anyone you want!” He sounded sure, because he was sure. He could kill anyone, anyone at all to protect them. If Sumia had to die, she would die.“Good. Once you’re done with her, open the gates, an army of Risen will be waiting. Once that is done, return here. You can consider this a test. Do not fail me. If you do, you will not be the only one punished.” Those last words echoed in Henry’s mind as he made his way to Ylissetol. The threat, one he could not ignore. Familiar roads only paved more dread, as he was able to place where he was, and how much longer it would take to arrive. This sense of dread hit its peak once he found himself outside the borders of the city.“Halt! Who are you?” and angry sounding stranger. As should be expected, guards were here, and they weren’t going to make this easy.“Oh! I’m Henry! I worked for the Shepherds,” Henry replied, giving a friendly smile, the one anyone who was in the Shepherds would have been familiar with.“Right… Sure, there were a few Plegians working with the Shepherds, but that doesn’t mean you are one of them. How can I be sure we can trust you? What business do you have here?” The guard eyed Henry with suspicion.“Aww come on! I just wanted to see how things were going here! Maybe help out! Come on!” He whined a little as he spoke, using tones and intonations his old friends would recognize.Before the guard could say anything, a familiar voice broke through. “Henry? Is that you?”The guard turned, coming face to face with Sumia herself. “Your Radiance?! What are you doing here?”“I came to check up on things here, and I’m glad I did! Let him in, he’s a friend. Besides, the Grimleal sacrificed themselves to Grima, any Plegians left can be trusted.”The guard’s eyes shifted away from both his Exalt and the strange sorcerer. “Of course, Your Radiance.” This was no longer his call to make.“Nyahaha! Thank you, Sumia! Came right on time!” Henry cheerfully said as he passed the guard.“Of course! You’re always welcome here, Henry. But, what are you doing here? Where are Morgan and Marc? Are they…” Her words drifted off as she started to walk with Henry.“Dead? No no! They’re perfectly fine! They’re home, safe and sound, much more so than they would be on the road.” Nothing he said was technically a lie. But more importantly, here she was. He could kill her right now and have it be over with. But, that would cause issues. He was surrounded by guards, if he killed her now, he would surely be outnumbered. He had to be more subtle about this.“Oh thank the gods. But, what are you doing here?”“Just thought I’d visit, really. It gets pretty lonely out in the middle of nowhere.” Henry was an awful liar, but Sumia had no reason to distrust him. No reason she knew of. “Maybe I should move here with the kids. I’m sure you could use a little more dark magic fire power!”Sumia giggled, he did have a way about him, he always made her smile, “Yes, I’m sure if you did move here, we would have plenty of use for you. You’re always welcome here, and I’m sure Lucina and Cynthia would love to see Morgan and Marc again. Hopefully next time, the guards won’t give you such a hard time.” She shared a smile, before looking forward again. “How about you join me back at the castle? You must be hungry and tired after that journey.”“You bet I am!” Henry said, sounding rather excited at the idea. There was a skip in his step as he followed along. Back at the castle, a decent, though not exactly luxurious meal was prepared for the Exalt, her children, and her guest. Sumia and Henry shared stories, mostly revolving around the antics their children got up to. Sumia was happier than she had been in ages, laughing along with Henry’s stories, while poor Lucina and Cynthia seemed embarrassed at the stories she shared. Toward the end of the meal, however, some unfortunate news was delivered. An army of Risen was approaching. Nothing unusual, this happened frequently enough, but none the less it put a damper on the mood.“It will take them a couple hours to get here,” the messenger said.“Alright. Then I will address the army in one hour.” Sumia said, sounding much more authoritative than Henry was used to. She then turned to Henry. “Will you help us fight? I’m sure if you lend your aid, the battle will go much smoother than usual.”“Of course!” Henry said.“Wonderful! You can rest in Robin’s old room until we’re ready, if you wish. I’m sure the memories there are bittersweet, but at least it’s something familiar.”Henry nodded. She was right, the memories of Robin were bittersweet, especially now. He missed her so much. However, this was perfect. If he played this right, this whole thing could go off perfectly! “I’ll see you in an hour, then!” Henry retired to his and Robin’s old shared room for the hour, coming out once again after hearing the knock of someone sent to fetch him. It was time for the briefing. Henry was lead down to the barracks, a familiar path for the former Shepherd. In there, there were many unknown faces, some of who looked at him oddly.“Everyone,” Sumia began. She didn’t have the public speaking skills of her late husband, but she did her best, and her people still found her to be an inspiration. “Another Risen attack is upon us. This should be no different than usual, we can and will drive them back. Today, we even have another ally, an old friend and a former member of the Shepherds. With his help, I’m sure we will- we- oh-“ Something was wrong. Suddenly, Sumia collapsed, crumbling to the ground.“Your Radiance?!”“Lady Sumia! What’s wrong?!”“Your Majesty!”The crowed cried out in concern and confusion. Henry, however, ran forward, to her side. “Sumia! What’s wrong?!”“I… I don’t know, it feels like- Ahh!- like an old wound.” What was happening?! Why now?! Was she dying?!“An old wound? Do you mean some old wound reopened?” He sounded confused. How could this have happened? His eyes landed on a red stain that was spreading through the fabric of her clothing. “Sumia, you’re bleeding!”“Oh… That Risen wound from last battle…” She was growing weaker. She must have strained too much, somehow. Perhaps it was the stress of this oncoming attack.“You need a healer, I’ll get a healer!” He got back up, turning to the crowd, where a healer was already approaching.“Take her to her room, carefully,” the priest ordered a small group of soldiers, who quickly came to assist their leader.In all the chaos, Henry was able to slip outside unnoticed. There were only a few guards left outside, and the Risen were approaching quicker than expected. All that was left now was to clear the few that may get in the way.Henry made his way to the border of the city, and with a few well-placed and unseen shots from behind, the guards were brought down. On the horizon, the Risen approached, and Henry ran off. Passing through the crowds untouched, Henry fled.The plan worked perfectly. His curse opened up old wounds, damaging organs, tissues, anything that had previously been damaged in a way that a healer would not be able to help, and causing the damage to worsen to ensure death. Sumia would soon be dead, and the attack was already beginning. In the chaos, his escape would go unnoticed, and they may still be able to use his status as a former shepherd to Grima’s advantage. The trip back was smooth and uneventful, though Henry’s heart was heavy. He had killed a friend, and there was no way to comfort himself from that pain. He had to do it. He had to! For Morgan and Marc. The most important people in the world, now. Everything was for them. That’s what he repeated to himself, trying not to think about Sumia’s dying face, still full of trust, even then. He tried not to think about how he betrayed her. “Welcome back, Henry,” Grima greeted upon his return. “The attack is going well. We may finally be able to make some progress in Ylissetol, thanks to you.”“It was easy!” Henry said, hiding his feelings. “She still trusted me, I had a whole hour to prepare a curse and plenty of opportunity to cast it on her!” He did his best not to think about his words.“Very good. You did good work. For that, you will get a reward.” Grima stepped closer, and from under his robes, produced a deep purple tome. Grima’s Truth. A truly powerful magical tome. “This is yours, now. There are few others who could make use of it. Use it for the tasks I will be giving you in the future.”“Oh wow!” Henry looking at it in amazement as he accepted the tome. He could feel the immense power running through it. “Hehe, I can’t wait to test this out!”Grima chuckled, “I’m sure you will make great use of it very soon. Now, go rest. Your services will be needed again soon.”