Chapter 36

Opening the Act

Sena's View

Altar of Grima

My name is Sena. I am the Hierophant of my cult: The Grimleal. While I'm regarded in high position for my leadership, and my ferocity, I like to hang out with my friends and go to a local alehouse for fun. Sometimes, I find my job boring, but, I still need to stay loyal to my master.

"Hierophant, we've kidnapped an Ylissean family coming in," a man in bone armor said, "They threatened the fall of our cult, so we apprehended them and decided we should feed our lord with their life force."

I unsheathed my ceremonial knife from my hip and looked at it. It was short, curved, and very sharp. It reminds me of the time before I became the Hierophant. I looked at the Ylissean family, weeping as they held a child. I grabbed my knife and twirled it as I approached the family.

"You threatened us?" I glared at them, "How?"

"W-we never did... they w-were just bandits who wanted to kill us," the father said.

I looked at their child, who was constantly crying. It annoyed me, but I felt like I needed to make a decision.

"Have you been traumatized before?" I asked both parents.

"... P-please don't kill us!"

"... Fine. Besides, our quota was only one person," I shrugged and lunged at them.

They screeched in horror, but blood didn't shed from their innocent skin. The man who brought them here died from a knife in his head. I stood over his corpse and stomped on his chest, forcefully launching out the knife from his wound. I grabbed the knife and swung off the blood before sheathing it.

"Go away, now," I said coldly, "Only Master Grima absorbs the strong and able. You're past your prime, oldies."

I looked at the rest of the Grimleal, all cloaked in hoods. I unsheathed my knife and pointed it at them.

"Listen up, I don't give a shit about who to sacrifice. I choose who I want. The Hierophant is closest to the Master than you guys, so don't give me any of your shitty judgement."

I sheathed my knife as I dragged the man's corpse. This man was a bandit who joined the Grimleal just to slaughter people. He may have been fearsome, but he was nonetheless a hooligan. I threw his corpse into a cauldron exuding a purple flame. As his ashes dissipated, red dots scattered out like fireflies. They slowly rose up high into the air.

"Imprison them for the next sacrifice," I said, "Return the kid to Ylisse. A baby isn't a worthy sacrifice."

Many years ago

I remembered that day. I was always raised with the common rule of take what you want, care less about the victim. I was 5 years old back then, and I killed a man after he stole the food I was about to steal. Death rates were rather high in here because murder was usually promoted by the Grimleal. I hated religion because a few of my "friends" would say it's nothing but spiritual slavery. My parents were cousins married together, and I was born an inbred. After 3 years, they finally gave up on me and left me on the street.

I always had an out-of-place eye, but, I didn't have any mental degradation. I was made fun of by bystanders, beaten up. After realizing how ugly I was, I decided to cut off my eye; my right eye was stronger anyway.

As years passed by, I managed to learn how to fight with a blade more properly; I started to kill Plegian Heroes with a simple knife at the age of 13. What drove me was the hatred I possessed toward everything. Throughout my childhood, everyone wanted me to stop because I was "ugly". They thought that just because I was an inbred, meant I was inferior. Those assumptions cost them dearly. I killed even my "friends" because they called me an abomination. Everyone was being abominations of their own ego.

No one wanted to empathize with me that time. One of the reasons was my so called "boyfriend". He claimed to care for me, protect me, fund me on my own "assignments", which involve murdering anyone I despised. He showed care for me... or so I thought. He actually sent me to be executed by the Grimleal; finding me a great sacrifice for a dumb dragon bent on destroying the world. Screw him, I will destroy the world. I was imprisoned for a whole month, but then, a tyrannical king went into power. I forgot what his name was, but he was a cruel warlord. He decided to release all the prisoners, conscripting them into soldiers. I fought him, though, I lost, mostly because he knew how a "bandit from the low-sands" fights.

On that day, we were sent to the Eastern Coast of the continent, headed toward Valm. I killed anything in my way; ally or enemy. We lost in the end. I was mutilated, and I about to be executed. They tie ropes on my limbs and use their horses to pull them. It was excruciating as they slowly tore me apart. I screamed, I cried. I cried tears, which eventually ran out, as blood began to seep out. I "died" that time... until someone came along. Validar, a high priest in the Grimleal, came to me. I had no arms or legs, but he saw me as his own daughter. When he used his Book of Grima on me, I thought he would finish me. The Book of Grima actually helped me. He told me that I've been "reawakened" through Grima's will; my body restored through his power. I felt my limbs regenerate, though, I felt something had been thrown away.

I realized that I've received a fragment of Grima's body, gathering his powers as well. I could transform my limbs into Grima's claws, arms, or many different fleshy weaponry. I've also inherited his blood.

He made me a Hierophant of his cult. After a few years of working as a Hierophant, I was met with 3 apprentices, introduced through Validar. According to them, I've met them before, yet at the same time, didn't. I didn't get it at first, but they eventually grew to be my closest allies. I hated them at first, mostly because I was very edgy that time, but then I realized their loyalty and unwavering will under my leadership, which eventually blossomed to friendship. Through that little character development, I've become the spunky girl that I am.

During those years, I've discovered a scary power lying within my blood. When I was executing a peasant who raped a Grimleal member, I made him vanish from existence. It was a public execution. When I killed him, no one knew why they were here. When I tried to tell them who I executed, they had no idea who the victim was. It was then I realized that I have the power to "kill" the time of someone. For some reason, my friends knew of this guy; they were watching the execution. Saki theorized that we were of Time Dragon blood, but mine was much more "pure" to mess with time. I didn't care where I got it from. With this power, I feel like I can truly do anything I want. But of course, power properly used is an even scarier power.

Back to the present

"Heya, Nate," I said to the son of my good ol' friend, Alec, "How ya feelin'?"

Nate was silent.

He was in a Wyvern Lord's attire in his own variation that he wore during his time with his dad. His breastplate was as thick as most Wyvern Lords, but his was slightly less thick to compliment his more swift fighting style with the sword. He had no left shoulder plate, but has an incredibly large right spaulder. Intricate, it had a purple tribal pattern and shaped similar to a wyvern skull. His right hand was mostly armored and adorn with a shield. He didn't have a loincloth like the usual Wyvern Lords, but it was replaced with a series of belts, each holding a scabbard. He has one large sword and two smaller swords on his right hip. He finished his bottom attire with the common black baggy pants and armored boots.

Nate's body was overall toned through war and training; I could fall in love with him. His hair is medium length; short, spiky, and styled in a fauxhawk.

"Well, good news! I have a plan for you, baby," I said with a grin.

My arm formed into a gigantic worm and coughed out the helm of a Berserker. I transformed my worm hand back into my normal hand and showed him the helmet.

"You see, I accidentally killed my own top soldier after he kidnapped an innocent family; they'll be executed later, so..."

"Let me guess, I'm going to take over?" he said coldly.

With a brief raspberry, I put my arm around his shoulders and shook my head.

"Can you read my mind or something, or are you possessed?" I laughed.

"But here's a mission," I said to him, "I have a special agent taking care of another thing to destroy his life, but I want you to do something else..."

I snickered to myself as I told him my plot. Alec thinks he's all tactical and genius-y, but I can be like that too.

Alec's View

Ylisstol

It had been a month after Valm's Conquest ended. Say'ri's study of politics paid off, as her diplomacy with the Valmese have succeeded. She has earned Chon'sin's independence as well as allegiance with the Kingdom of Valm. After rebuilding most of the countries conquered and plundered by Walhart's force, The Valmese and the other nations formed the Valmhart Coalition, in memory of the previous Emperor. Valm is temporarily a democracy, finding the next emperor in line to lead the Valmese.

Nate had gone missing, but Frederick and Chrom advised me to stay away from Plegia until he says so. Plegia is still suspicious, especially with Validar ruling.

Cynthia's legs were healed by Lissa, but she suffered depression for the whole journey. Through maternal love and care, we stood strong by her through her self pity and outbursts, which paid off with her coming back to her senses.

While Walhart could have been healed and rejuvenated, Chrom and Say'ri felt like Walhart wanted to die, as he'll roam around the world as a monster. Walhart wanted to kill that monster, but he became the thing he wanted to kill. While he suddenly told Chrom about his story, he had already run out of tears to shed, as monsters are born when they have none left. While his end was sad, he died happy, knowing his monstrosity has ended.

We took a rest in Ylisstol before we set for Plegia. My two daughters came to the house that Sumia and I reside in. It was quite a large house, but it wasn't as big and fancy as common mansions. We both love our humble lives in a middle-class house. My daughters were fascinated by our household.

"Does anything here remind you of your home in the future?" I asked my daughters, "... before it got destroyed of course."

Cynthia shone a cute smile at me and nodded. Her legs were immediately treated and healed through Lissa's staff.

"Well, you had an office that also doubled as a personal library," she said, "I remembered you bringing my little sis there while you read stories to her."

"I don't remember much..." Morgan frowned for a while before shifting into her usual smile, "but I'm glad to know that I spent time with father."

"We have 3 days until we march toward Plegia, Morgan," I said to her, "We'll relax for a while, then we need to train."

Morgan frowned for a while from hearing this.

"Something tells me that Plegia might prepare something even more dangerous than Valm..." I said, "If we're not ready, who knows what Validar might throw at us?"

"... I really have nothing to say since I have no memories of anything..." Morgan said with a frown, "Though, from what I heard from Lucina, you went missing when Chrom died, so we had to be raised by Sumia..."

"What?!"

"... I don't know," she was a bit nervous.

"All this time nonsense doesn't make sense," I said to myself, "If Lucina knew what happened in the future, how was she raised by Chrom?! Could it be that we raised our children at..."

I sighed in defeat from all this time nonsense.

"Geez, it's like we're in a bad game," I sighed, "But it's still not gonna prevent me from preparing for what Plegia might throw at us."

While Cynthia was with my wife, Morgan was utterly confused from my blubbering. She reacted with a raised brow.

"But, before we train, how about you try some of my cooking?" Morgan said with a grin, "Brady said I was good at it, you know~"

She blushed at that last sentence. Brady is a cool dude, but I hope he doesn't hurt my Morgan with his uncouth mouth.

"Well, I've been hungry ever since we came home," I mumbled to myself, "Sure."

Morgan clapped her hands in enthusiasm and rushed to the kitchen. She peaked her head out of the kitchen entrance and looked at me with a quizzical look.

"Hey, father, can you teach me how to make spaghetti?" she asked me, "I heard from mother that it's quite a delight."

I smiled and accompanied her to the kitchen.

"First, you must..."

Sena's View

"Here you go~" I said gleefully as I held a bowl of spaghetti, "This is celebratory spaghetti for our new member: Nate!"

Everyone gathered at the Dragon's Table... nearby the Dragon's Table. My crew each grabbed a portion and they all went to eating. Nate, despite his usual edgy 'hypnotized state, ate it with a big smile. It's as if he had a portion of his personality kept.

"... It reminds me of home," Nate said with a mouthful of spaghetti, "Where did you learn how to cook this?"

"Hotrealm," I said with a giggle.

"I see..."

"You know, I always loved this spaghetti, grandma," Apep said teasingly.

"While I prefer using my enzyme generator to sustain my longevity, I can't resist the taste of your flavourful stringed wheat," Saki said with a calm smile.

"Your spaghetti is divine, milady," Lu'xi said, wearing a purple sweater and a black skirt.

"Thank you, Lux," I said with joy.

Validar and Aversa was also eating my spaghetti, and surprisingly, their stoic and edgy faces were replaced with faces of joy from my food.

"This is one of our last meals before the new year, fellas," I said to them with joy.

"New years?" Nate said with a raised brow.

"Isn't it-" I blocked Aversa's mouth before she could speak.

"The author promised a chapter for the New Years, and we're gonna celebrate it with some spaghetti!" I said as I tossed out confetti, "But, this is also to open the curtain for our next arc in the story. We need to enjoy as much as possible before going to work, guys."

I pulled a glass to me through telekinesis and filled it with some wine that I also pulled to me via telekinesis.

"Raise your glasses," I announced, prompting the others to do the same with their wine glasses (with little Apep the exception)

"To Grima's Resurrection?"

"To Grima's Resurrection!" We all shouted.

"... and to the New Years..."

"DAMMIT, SENA!" Validar shouted in comedic rage as he tossed his plate up high.

Author's Notes

Happy New Year, and Happy beginning of the Plegia Arc.

School will happen again next week, so I'll be super busy once again. I hope you stick around, readers, my fic will end in 10 or a bit more chapters.

I really have nothing more to say, but yeah. Peace out for a bit. I'll see you again sometime.