The fort we were due to siege was halfway between Chon'sin's capital and Fort Steiger to the north. It was used as a meeting point between Chon'sin's dynasts in decades past, where it was renowned to be nearly impenetrable during a siege, with an underground reservoir and months-worth of food and supplies. It could effectively outlast any army due to the deadly winters that ravaged the continent. Not that our plan had anything to do with sieging, not the usual, standard definition of the word. There was only one way to break through the fort, and that was through pure, raw force.

The fort itself was named after Chon'sin's founder. A man named Kamui or something. Not the name I'd come up with for a near-impenetrable fortress, but I supposed that didn't exactly matter.

We scouted out the land before us, finding village after village thriving despite the times. Oddly enough, no one so much as gave us a glare. The reception we received at these villages was cold but cordial. They all had weird names as was commonplace in Chon'sin apparently, but I didn't feel my life, or the life of my friends, was in danger.

I asked Say'ri why, exactly, we weren't being attacked, and her answer surprised me.

"The dynasts are waiting," She answered me, after a day of sparring. "They wish to see whether we are truly capable of dethroning Walhart and Yen'fay. We have liberated a great deal of the continent, you see, and the dynasts will not throw their lot in with a weak leader. They followed Yen'fay for the same reason Yen'fay follows Walhart, I assume: they respect strength if nothing else."

I rubbed the back of my neck, looking toward the sky. "And here I was thinking Chon'sin was simple…"

"Fie, 'tis my wish that it was so," Say'ri replied, letting out a deep breath. "Politics in this country are tricky at the best of times. The dynasts will follow an Emperor, yes, but every single one of them is concerned for themselves first and foremost. The instant Kamui falls, I have little doubt that they will come to aid us in our assault on the capital."

"Oh boy, another city siege," I grumbled. "I can't wait."

"Aye. I can see the fatigue in your eyes. This war has taken its toll on you, hmm?" Say'ri hummed.

"Guess you could say that." I cracked my neck. "Before our war with Plegia a couple of years back, I never saw a battle. Not up close, at least. That war feels more like a small skirmish compared to this one. Hell, even the battles in Rosanne make that war feel small."

"Indeed. I heard tell of Ylisse's war with Plegia, before the Conqueror cut off trade with Archanea," Say'ri replied. "' Mad King Gangrel'. Fie, such a moniker never seemed appropriate for anyone 'till I heard of that man."

"I only saw him in the flesh once, and yeah, he was a fuckin' loon," I sighed. "It's okay, though. Victory's already as good as ours. Just a matter of when really. After that, and it's Grima's turn on the chopping block."

"…fie, but I wish I had your confidence," Say'ri said quietly. "Myths of Grima's terrible power have reached even our country, and they are far from pleasant. They say he reshaped the land itself during the Schism. What is a single company of men and women in the face of such raw power?"

"He was defeated once," I intoned, crossing my arms. "And he will be again."

"You say that with such a straight face…" Say'ri chuckled. "Perhaps I could learn something from you. Pray, Sir Alexander, I have a question for you, before you leave."

I raised a brow, waiting.

"Have you heard of a woman by the name of Vivien?" Say'ri asked, her gray eyes avoiding mine, strangely. "I know that she is one of Lord Virion's retainers and that she fought alongside you during the liberation of Rosanne. How does she fare? Is she well?"

There was something about the way Say'ri was acting that seemed… uncharacteristic of her. She always looked at people in the eye, for better or for worse. I nodded. "Yeah, I met her. Swordswoman, long black hair?"

"Aye, that fits her."

"She's fine." I shrugged. "Survived, if that's what you wanna know. I think she's keeping Rosanne together while Virion finishes the fight."

Say'ri let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the Gods and their mercy… I had worried that she did not make it…"

"Hmm. What is she to you?" I asked, before quickly backtracking. "If you wanna tell me, that is."

"…fie, 'tis a long story. Perhaps one for another day." Say'ri replied strangely. "It is not my right to reveal secrets best left forgotten."

"Well, that's not ominous at all," I chuckled.

Our march towards Kamui was an uneventful one. No one defied us as we marched through the green Chon'sinian countryside. The buildings of the villages were honestly the most interesting thing to see on our journey. Almost every building I'd seen up to that point was only marginally different from the ones back home. Chon'sin, however, went completely bonkers, with square housing and paper doors. Well, not paper, but the doors weren't entirely solid, from what I could tell.

Beyond that, we weren't just scouting and staying in villages for board and protection. Robin made sure to procure a valuable Chon'sinian commodity: fireworks. There were no brands, no maker. Apparently, fireworks in Chon'sin were ubiquitous to the country itself. It hadn't been so long that I'd forgotten them. There wasn't much we could use it for, in my opinion, but then again, I wasn't a master tactician.

Either way, I wagered there were going to be a lot of colorful explosions in the days that followed. It was strange, too, because the stuff was hard to get outside of Chon'sin; the Chon'sinians didn't want something unique to them to be traded around and exploited. Isolationism and all that nasty business.

They were all too accommodating when we asked, however, which only made me increasingly wary. In the end, however, nothing came of it.

It was while we were in one of these villages that I decided to get off my ass and actually talk to some of the Shepherds I was less acquainted with. I knew all too well that I had a nasty habit of just sticking around a small group of friends, leaving little room for striking out, so to speak. There were two in particular who, last time I saw them, were in a state.

Panne and Lucina.

The last taguel and the once-and-future princess. Considering Lucina was less likely to chomp my head of its shoulders, I sought her out, first.

In the back of my mind, I felt a bit strange checking in on her. She was Chrom's daughter, not mine, yet I couldn't help myself. Some of the things she said about me in the future were both concerning and thoughtful, and they continued to draw me to her. I wanted to know more. Becoming the man she knew in the future was not on my bucket list, and the more I knew about him, the better I could try and avoid it.

My intentions may have been a bit selfish, but then again, so was everything.

She was a bit difficult to track, I'd give her that; one person would say she was somewhere nearby, while others would insist that she'd gone out hunting instead, and would be back later that day. In the end, the latter proved true, as I didn't find her until the sky was full of stars, twinkling in the night sky like so many gemstones against a black ocean.

"…Sir Alexander," Lucina mumbled, her head tilted forward so it seemed as if she was glaring at me. "Did you want something from me? I've heard that you've been asking about me around camp and the town."

"Yup," I said, popping the 'p'. "Just wanted to check in on you. You know, since the last time we talked was when Stahl… well, you get the picture."

"I don't get the picture. How is a picture involved with this? Nevermind," Lucina shook her head. "I appreciate you feeling the need to do that, but I am fine. My father still lives, and the war goes well and swiftly. The countless souls I have cut down were not all in vain."

"…that bad, huh?" I murmured.

"I don't understand." Lucina turned. "Nonetheless, you have your answer. I have much to do."

"Like skinning the deer you obviously shot?" I asked, raising a brow. She stopped in her tracks. "I'm just trying to make sure you're not falling apart at the seams. Chrom's a good man, a great man even, but he's never been very good at the whole emotional thing. I've talked with several people, you know, and they all say you disappear for hours at a time. What're you doing out there? Are you hunting, or are you just trying to get away from everyone?"

"It is none of your business," Lucina replied harshly, her fist clenched. "What I do with my time is my own."

"There's no shame in doing that, Lucina," I pressed, stepping forward. "You're not a born killer. I doubt most of the Shepherds are. Except for Henry, but he's Henry so he doesn't count."

"…I have had this exact conversation," Lucina whispered. "Several weeks ago, in fact. Sir Alexander, the thought of murder does not keep me up at night. Something far, far more sinister does." Lucina turned around, her heterochromatic eyes focusing on mine. "It's about what is being hidden from me. From all of us."

My brows furrowed. "…how do you mean?"

"I have not kept up with the war councils." Lucina continued, her fists still clenched. "And that is my fault. Despite what I have said, I decided to keep my influence to a minimum. There are already significant divergences from the history I knew, and our chances at victory are better than they ever were in the future. In my heart, I felt that was enough." Lucina pressed a hand to her chest. "But my aunt's death during the last war proved that fate itself is still fighting against us. Your iron hand proved that as well. I thought I had prevented both, but I was wrong."

I lifted my iron hand up, watching the light reflect off the polished metal. "That isn't…"

"There are some things behind all of our actions that I am not aware of, and that aggravates me. But more than anything, it scares me. How much have I – have we – truly changed? And if it isn't enough, what can be done so that it is?"

"We're going to win, Lucina," I stated adamantly. "I know that that won't help you, but I honestly, truly believe that we'll win. And you should too."

Lucina shook her head, her expression hardening. "Belief is a powerful thing, Sir Alexander, but action is what changes the future. And our actions haven't been enough. I already know that the Knight-Commander I knew didn't tell me everything. Sir Alexander, I beg you, tell me. Is there anything I – we – don't already know? Anything that can be done so that the ultimate tragedy can be averted?"

Her words struck me like a cart full of bricks. There was one thing that came to mind that I knew but she didn't. At least, not at the time. Only Robin knew, and by God, I wasn't about to betray his trust. Not that far in. Not when there was no guarantee. Robin deserved better than to be offed only for us to lose anyway. He was my friend, goddamnit. As soon as Chrom got the Exalted Falchion and wacked Grima's possessed body with it, we were safe for the next thousand years. It would be enough.

"…nothing important, Lucina," I replied slowly. "Nothing that would ensure our victory. Just… just miscellaneous bullshit."

Lucina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll trust you, Sir Alexander."

I held my arms out to my sides. "Everything I used to know is useless now anyway. Has been for some time. And honestly, I can't tell if I'm happy or sad about that. All I know is that Grima is going to die. If nothing else, I believe that's true."

"Then I suppose that will be enough, for the moment." Lucina nodded. "Good evening to you, Sir Alexander."

Lucina turned around and walked off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I hadn't lied. Not really. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

There was one other person I intended to talk to that night, but after my botched attempt at talking to Lucina and how late it was, I shoved it off to the next day. The day before we were to leave for Kamui. The fort was only a few days march away by that point, and we couldn't waste any time. Not with winter breathing down our necks. It was September by then, leaving a scarce few months before the seasons began working against us.

My days didn't consist entirely of me looking for people to talk with, even though sometimes it felt like it. It was just that everything else had become routine; the training, the time I spent with Cordelia and Severa, the war councils, everything. I couldn't even summon the will to be bored with the latter anymore.

Thankfully, I didn't have to seek Panne out. She was the one who found me. Or rather, she was the one who was glaring at me while I was doing the usual practice with our infinite amount of training dummies.

I stopped for the day and confronted her. "You get off on watching people or something?" I asked loudly. "I could feel your eyes drilling into the back of my head."

The lone taguel stood in the shadow of a building, her expression perplexed. "…how does one drill a hole into the back of another's head? Is that some sort of secret power manspawn possess?" She paused, gauging my reaction. "I'm kidding."

"Of course you were," I replied dryly, approaching her. "But seriously, why were you watching me?"

"Were you not the one who was seeking me out?" Panne questioned, one brow raised. "I heard talk among the manspawn of this… village that a one-handed man was searching for one of the monstrous rabbits that follow the Ylissean army. These manspawn must be deaf because I was listening in a few feet away. Why were you trying to find me? What do you want?"

"Well, first of all, I appreciate you coming to me." I nodded my head, flashing a genuine smile. "Saved a lot of time. Second of all, I guess I just wanted to check in on you. The last time you and I spoke was, well…" I trailed off, a frown set firmly on my face. "…you get the idea. I tried to help you back then, but you weren't exactly willing. Then I got sent to Rosanne, so I just wanted to, you know, make sure you were alright."

Panne stared at me, her red eyes almost seeming to glow in the shadow she hid in. "…you are strange. Has anyone ever told you that?"

I openly laughed at that, rubbing the back of my neck. "More than once, yeah."

"Hmm, just over a year ago I could feel the fear streaming off of you. I could smell it on the wind, that primal, deep terror that only a cornered animal is capable of feeling. But now, now you seem oddly at ease. No, actually there is something far more…" Panne's brows furrowed. "You are angry. Why is that?"

My face went neutral. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Hmm, do I not?" Panne shook her head. "To answer your concerns, manspawn, I have certainly been better. Stahl's death still gnaws at me, like maggots at a rotten corpse, but I will not let it consume me, as it had months ago. You were… right, that day in the snow. He would not want me to shut myself away after all he and everyone else had done to make me feel at home. I will not insult his memory again. I still find it difficult, but Yarne makes it easier. Training with him, feeding with him… it is an odd feeling, being a mother despite never giving birth."

"Yeah, I think a lot of Shepherds can relate to that one, heh," I looked up to the afternoon sky. "Being parents to teenagers while most of us are barely out of our own is kinda, well, disorientating. I wouldn't trade it for the world, though. Cordelia and Severa are my everything."

"You've changed, manspawn," Panne said suddenly.

I looked back at her, confused. "What?"

Panne stepped out of the shadows and into the bright noonday light. "It's not just the fear that has stopped. Not completely; all things alive feel fear, but you no longer respond with outright cowardice. The day I met you, you were terrified of me. I did not even need to look to tell. I did not think much of you then; you were a simple manspawn. An expendable soldier. The old warrens had no such concept, but I knew of it the moment I saw you. Now, now you are a leader."

I chuckled humorlessly. "A leader, huh?"

"I mean it, manspawn," Panne continued. "Do not throw away my words so recklessly. I know that the words of your kind are as meaningful as the wind through leaves at times, but the taguel are not so. We speak exactly as we mean. You are a leader of men now, one who commands the respect of those under his care. Even with only one hand, this is true."

"Well, I mean, thanks? I guess?" I looked away. "Not sure where this is coming from but it's appreciated."

"I am not complimenting you, manspawn. Merely stating the obvious," Panne said. "There is much responsibility that comes with being a leader. The lives of those under you rest on your shoulders. And if there is one flaw I can see in your stance, in your posture…" Panne paused. "It is that rage that is barely held back beneath your skin. It will not only put your life in danger but the lives of the other manspawn who rely on you. Mind that it does not consume you."

There it was again. Why was she mentioning that?

"Noted," I replied curtly. "Nice to see you're doing better, at least. That's all I wanted to talk to you about."

"Hmph," Panne grunted. "In one ear and out the other. It's almost as if you don't want to be spoken to. You have my words, now. What you do with them is not my concern. Goodbye, manspawn."

For the second time in two days, the person I was talking to stalked off. My people skills must've left something to be desired. My fist clenched as Panne walked off. What right did she have to talk to me about anger? About rage? I saw her tear through dozens when Stahl died. Cordelia was only burned, yes, but did that mean my anger was unjustified? Excellus was going to die. In my mind, there was no doubt about that. The minute I got my hands on him he would regret the day he was born.

I blinked, feeling a headache coming on. I groaned, massaging my temples as I turned and walked in the opposite direction Panne had taken. The day was only half over, and I already wanted to turn in for the night.

Kamui sat in the middle of a large field. Knee-high grass surrounded the fortress, and if what Say'ri said was true, then small cave entrances dotted the rolling hills nearby, allowing a flanking counterattack should things not go the Valmese's way. It was less defensible than Fort Mycen had been, but then again, Kamui didn't have the luxury of being carved out of a mountain. It must've taken a shit ton of work to move the stone and wood to the Chon'sinian fortress.

I went with Robin on the last scouting party we were to send out. The Pegasi galloped through the skies, giving us a good view of the fortress. Just as Say'ri said, the only real entrance was unlike any I'd ever seen; it was folded in on itself, allowing archers to pelt people with arrows if they tried to brute force their way through the entrance.

We settled down on a hill overlooking Kamui. Far away enough from any potential archers, siege weapons, or tomes. Robin stared at the fortress from his perch, his eyes analyzing it far better than I ever could.

"…Tough nut to crack, huh?" I joked, standing beside him. "I don't see a way for us to get through without heavy casualties. The place was crawling with troops as well."

"Mhm," Robin hummed, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Underhanded tactics will not work here. In fact, if Say'ri hadn't informed us of the caves beneath this plain, they likely would have used it against us. I must give the Chon'sinians credit; if this was a fully conventional war, we'd likely be stuck here for months."

"Fully conventional'?" I parroted, looking to Robin confusedly. "What're you planning?"

"If we can't get through using clever tactics, then perhaps a more direct approach will see us through," Robin continued, the corners of his lips curving up. "Those fireworks, they call them. We can use those as a distraction. With Tiki on our side as well, along with our mages… we have incredible magical potential in the Shepherds alone, never mind the army itself. With the use of overwhelming force, this fortress could be ours within a day at the most. It'll damage the structure quite a bit, but then again, we will not be staying for long."

"…huh," I chuckled. "Fair enough. That kinda stuff worked at Wyval, why not here?" I squinted at Kamui, using my iron hand to shield my eyes. "Anything else we know about this fortress? I know we sent out a few more Pegasus Knights before this. They all reported to you and Phila, though."

"Not much, which is why I asked for both of us to be taken as close as is safely possible," Robin informed me, folding his hands behind his back. "I know that the enemy tactician we encountered in Rosanne is within the confines of it, though."

I could hear my heart beat in my eardrums. "…Excellus?" I asked.

"Was that his name? I almost forgot it," Robin let out a dry laugh. "He is a rather poor tactician, considering how easily we bowled through the Rosanne after our victory at Fort Mycen. And the fact he so easily abandoned his supposed allies once our success at Wyval was assured does him no favors in my mind. A spineless worm, really. I don't expect us to capture him, considering he appears to have a Warp staff on him, but I won't pass off the chance to discredit him to his superiors more. And if he has connections to the Grimleal… well, all the better. If we do capture him, I wonder at what he could tell us."

I grit my teeth as Robin spoke. Excellus was there. The 'man' who burned my wife and tried to kill my daughter. A part of me was happy that he was already so close. Already so near, with only a single fortress to separate us. I imagined my iron hand pummeling him into the stone, bruising and bloodying his fat flesh. It was both disturbing and cathartic to me, that I could think of such violence.

"…Alex?" I blinked, looking to Robin. His expression was somewhere between concerned and perplexed. "Do you feel alright? You've become pale."

"Huh?" I ran a hand down my face. "Oh, uh, no. I'm fine, Robin. Just a bit… Well, you know."

Robin looked at me for a few seconds, as if searching for a lie. "…Oh. Oh. Excellus… I apologize, Alex. I'd… I'd forgotten that he was the one who burned Cordelia." Robin took a deep breath. "I can put you in a different formation if you wish. One that doesn't bring you as close to where I believe he's hiding-"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, Robin." I waved my iron hand. "I'll be fine. I don't mind it."

In fact, you want it, don't you, boy scout?

"…alright," Robin nodded. "Well, it saves me having to come up with entirely new formations, I suppose. I… thank you for doing that, Alex. I know it'll be hard for you, but you haven't let me down yet."

"And I don't intend to," I chuckled nervously. "Think we should head back. The others might start worrying about us."

"Mmm," Robin hummed, acquiescing. "Indeed. We have much to do in preparation for tomorrow."

All I could hear was my heart within my ears, beating like a drum. My blood boiled long before we even reached the battlefield, gallivanted by the rage flowing through my veins. I was silent as Cordelia helped me get my armor on. Strangely enough, she didn't even attempt to talk. She merely stared at me warily, although I was too focused to make note of it. I had a battle to get to, after all, and it was all that occupied my mind.

"Alex."

I blinked as Cordelia called my name, frowning and with a furrowed brow

"Uh," I let out a breath. "Yeah, Cordy? Need something?"

Her lips thinned, her red eyes almost…pleading? "I didn't want to bring it up. I thought it was just simple hearsay, but… I spoke with Phila. She told me how you talked to her."

I nodded. "Did she? Thought she might've let it go. Should've expected it."

"Alex, she's not wrong," Cordelia pressed on, placing a hand against her swelling belly. "It was irresponsible of us. I know she's been grooming me to take her place. The guilt she feels for Lady Emmeryn's death has been weighing on her for years. And now I'm…" Cordelia looked down, her frown somehow becoming deeper. "Even without this wound, I wouldn't be able to fulfill my duty."

I snorted. "Duty? She just wants an early retirement." I grabbed my helmet. "She doesn't give a fuck about your burn. She just wants you to be her ticket out of the army."

"Alex, it isn't like that!" Cordelia suddenly snapped, catching me off-guard. "She wasn't wrong! It isn't about her retirement; it's about duty. Responsibility. And we've done a poor job of showing it."

"Fuck that," I growled. "Responsibility. I know we weren't exactly careful, but c'mon, Cordelia. She can say it all she wants but fucking hell, she doesn't mean it."

"…Alex," Cordelia said slowly. "Why are you so angry?"

"Angry?" I questioned loudly. "Fuckin'… first Panne, and now you. I'm angry? Hell yeah, I'm angry. The fucker who burned you is just in that fort, Cordelia, and I'll be damned before I let him get away with it."

The words came pouring out of my mouth without my say-so, almost like they'd been stored for just the wrong moment. Cordelia looked at me in silence for a second, before stepping a bit closer. "Alex, please. Don't- Don't try to avenge me."

"Why the hell not?" I asked, crossing my arms. "I'm not gonna let him get away with this, Cordelia. I'm not. I'm gonna go into that fort and make him regret ever coming across us."

Cordelia shook her head, becoming more frantic. "It's not about revenge, Alex! I don't want you to do this, please!"

"Seriously, why?" I reiterated, brows furrowed. "Why shouldn't I? Explain it to me."

"I should've said something," Cordelia began quietly. "I should've said something when you were talking about that man. Anything. Maybe you wouldn't have gotten so worked up. Alex, I'm not stupid. I know what happened in the future. Severa made it abundantly clear how you were after I… after I died."

It felt as if my blood turned into ice. I looked everywhere except Cordelia's eyes, trying my best to keep my fingers from twitching.

"You became a shell of a man," Cordelia whispered. "You didn't care about Severa. You only wanted revenge. Only wanted to kill as many of the enemy as you possibly could until they killed you. Right now… right now, I'm seeing that. I don't want to lose you, Alex. If you let yourself go like that, you won't come back, even if your body does. I don't want to see you like that."

"…So I should just let him go, then?" My fist clenched. "Should I just let him go after what he did to you?"

"Injuries happen in war!" Cordelia exclaimed, her red eyes boring into mine. "If we were to avenge every injury dealt to us, there'd be a pile of corpses at our feet! Please, just… I know you have to fight. But please, please promise me that you'll come back. That you'll come back to me the same man who left. I'm not… I don't want to be a widow. Not when we're so close."

I looked down at her. "…I'm going to kill him, Cordelia."

I turned around, trying my best to keep myself from whirling around and shouting.

"Alex!" Cordelia cried, grabbing me by the arm. "Don't you dare turn your back to me! You can't, please! Look at me and-!"

I shook my arm from her grasp and left the tent. Once I was outside and a few paces away from our shared tent, a small bit of clarity fell upon me.

…what have I done?

Turning around and staring at the tent, my mind was racing. Did I seriously just say all that? Shake her arm off of me? What kind of asshole would do that?

The battle is going to start soon, boy scout.

I swiveled on my heels. There would be time to think later. Time to remember why I did what I did.

You know in your heart of hearts that you are wrong.

With our flags raised high, we stared down at the fortress that was soon to be ours.

There were two forces: one above, which I was a part of, led by Chrom and Say'ri, as well as the men beneath us, within the caves the Chon'sinians so cleverly dug out to flank invaders. Down there, our forces were led by Robin and Tiki. I was to lead my own group of troops along with the others, straight into the fortress. Alongside me stood Panne in her rabbit form.

Cordelia's words echoed in my skull as my axe was drawn. I wasn't taking Pippin that time; there'd be no need for cavalry charges, and he'd just get in the way otherwise.

With bated breath, I awaited the signal. The signal to go forth and cut Chon'sin in two, another nail in the coffin of the Valmese Empire and one stop closer to Grima. I gripped my axe tightly.

I couldn't see Chrom from my position, but I heard the shouts of our men as they were galvanized by him.

In the sky, an explosion went off, a thing of color and beauty that I hadn't seen in years.

Fireworks.

We were using them to throw off the enemy archers, to show our overwhelming force.

My teeth grinded together as I felt my skin itch. That old familiar feeling. Excellus was inside that fortress, and at that moment, that was all I cared about. The argument I had with Cordelia seemed such a far-away thing, as if it happened years before instead of an hour before. The fireworks we set off continued to explode in the sky as the signal was given.

We charged. I took my men with me and screamed as I ran forward, my axe ready to cleave through anyone that might stand in my way. The very ground beneath us trembled as something massive fought beneath. Our forces divided at the center, allowing whatever was beneath free reign to do as it wished.

The ground cracked and buckled, with fissures indenting into the ground and dirt kicking up into the air. It spread towards the fortress, white flame licking up the sides of the displaced ground before suddenly exploding in a rain of melted rock and incinerated plants. The entrance to Kamui, once presented as a massive obstacle, was no more as the walls surrounding it broke down and fell away, revealing the inside of the fort. The fortress' shell was cracked wide open, allowing us entrance.

Dragonfire.

The Valmese were obviously not prepared for such an intense assault. The charred bodies of several laid broken among the stones of what used to be a wall. They were quickly able to mount a response, though; our forces clashed in the courtyard, tearing each other apart. Occasionally, I'd pick Chrom out of the crowd, Falchion ablaze in the sun and striking men down left and right. Panne stayed near me, with the few Valmese brave enough to attempt to slay her being laid out on the ground with their ribcages smashed to pieces. Allowing my instincts to take over, my axe tore through several soldiers.

As was often the case, my world became a maelstrom of blood and screams. With the added bonus of the fireworks shrieking and popping through the sky, sending shades of color through the bloodshed, the land itself seemed to be celebrating the slaughter that was happening. Again and again, my axe chopped limbs and heads, tearing through chests and bashing faces. I'd long grown numb to the feeling. It was never something I enjoyed; it was my job. I had to do it, or who would?

It was like waddling through circus full of corpses, what with the fireworks. The bodies of Ylisseans and Valmese laid at my feet as I cut down more and more, the rage within keeping me from collapsing or giving in. It was a waste of time, what we were doing. If we could get to Excellus, the battle would be won. The Valmese would surrender without their commander. Hell, half of them appeared to be conscripts, and the other half appeared to be Chon'sinians who were 'volunteered' into the Valmese army by Yen'fay.

"Panne!" I screamed, my axe cleaving through a soldier's side.

The taguel was a bit busy tearing a man apart. When I shouted her name, she threw the poor bastard into the wall, splattering the stonework with his blood. Panne looked to me, red eyes glowing like embers.

I looked up, seeing the massive building which I assumed to be the keep. It was strange, but then again, every Chon'sinian building I'd seen up to that point looked strange to my eyes.

"With me!" I shouted, throwing my axe to the ground and unsheathing Sol. "We're taking this fucking fort if it kills me!"

My men and Panne heard me over the ungodly sounds of battle, rising from the earth as if from hell itself. With Sol, I pointed to the large building, and pushed forward. They followed close behind, splitting off from the main group. No one from our side came to stop me.

Sol flashed through the air, getting into the cracks in the soldiers' armor, allowing me some leverage to push them off the stairs we were ascending. They plummeted screaming to the ground below, granting us passage.

Soon enough, we made it to the doors. Unlike all the doors I'd seen in Chon'sin up to that point, these ones were made of solid wood, and reinforced with metal.

"Panne, come here," I ordered. "Get us through this door."

"…hmph," Panne huffed. "Your bloodlust has nearly overtaken you, it seems."

"Get the goddamn door open!" I snarled. "Do it, or I'll do it myself."

Panne sniffed. "As you wish, manspawn."

The giant rabbit shot her hind legs forward, kicking the door. I heard the sharp snap of wood, but the door stayed put. Two more kicks followed before the door was torn of its hinges, sending chunks of wood and metal to the floor beyond. I walked into the keep, Sol at my side and staring forward. I saw him, then, sitting on a throne, surrounded on all sides by Chon'sinian guards. The pompous, fat fucker looked like he owned the place. In his right hand he held a tome, and on his back was a staff.

"Why, welcome, my Ylissean friends!" The fat man squeaked, a toothy grin on his face. "To what do I owe the pleasure…?" His expression fell as I came into view, flanked by my men and a giant fuck-off rabbit. "What in Grima's name? I thought Prince Chrom would be the one to storm my humble abode. Who are- Oh. Oh. Oh, it's you!" He cackled. "Oh, I remember you! You're the Knight-Captain I saw pitifully trying to protect his woman from that fool Dorion! Oh, how long it's been! I certainly wasn't expecting a lowly dog such as yourself to walk up here, but please, do make yourself at home!"

"I'm going to kill you, Excellus," I intoned. "I'm going to kill you, and then I'm going to hang your head from this keep's walls. Nobody fucks with my family!"

"You'll kill me, will you?" Excellus sneered. "Please, I could have had you and your entire group annihilated the moment you set foot in the keep. It's by my hand that you still draw breath, and if you disrespect me again, I'll be sure to make it your last." Excellus looked up to the rafters, trailing a hand down his chin. "Ah, but your family? How could I forget? Is that redheaded whore still reeling from the blow I dealt her? I did see her fall to the ground when my flames splashed across her back. All to protect that other one, too. What a farce."

I saw red. My body was moving before my mind caught up. The men around Excellus didn't so much as move a muscle, so I kept going. I was going to send the fat bastard to hell. I was going to cleave my sword straight through his fat body and bleed him dry on the floor. I would watch the color drain from his eyes-!

Below me, a red light grew. I stopped in my tracks, looking down as the floor bubbled and melted around me.

Excellus laughed. "That's the way, Sir Knight! What a glorious display of stupidity! Perhaps Lord Grima will fancy your idiotic soul!"

There was only red. The heat built up beneath me and I couldn't move, as if my feet were glued to the melting floor.

Then everything was a blur. I felt something pick me up by my breastplate, and suddenly I was thrown to the side as a massive creature stood over me. The place where I'd been standing exploded, with pieces of melting rock plinking off my armor. I stared at the spot with wide eyes, feeling the blood drain from my face. The men who followed me were engaged by the Chon'sinian guards, as I saw Excellus look at where I'd been, annoyance evident in his expression.

"I told you, manspawn." Panne growled, joining the fray.

I laid there for several moments, feeling my limbs shake just looking at the black hole in the center of the keep. If Panne hadn't saved me, I'd be dead. My body would be an ugly statue of charcoal, and Cordelia and Severa would be alone and without me.

You fucked up, boy scout.

Uh, so yeah. That happened.

I promise, things will get better. I've pretty much written the next chapter already, so I know what I'm talking about.

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Hope to see you guys next time! If you haven't quit out of rage that is.