Grima's Influence

Chapter 5: Unwelcomed Guests

The capital of Ylisstol was in a state of panic as the citizens hastily led the area with Ylissean soldiers there trying to tame the situation. Meanwhile, the Plegian army had begun their invasion and started to attack. The Ylissean soldiers did their best to withhold the onslaught with the equipment they had, but to little effort did they stood a chance against the opposing nation. The Shepherds arrived and fended off the Plegian soldiers with all their might. But even they have trouble against them.

"These brutes seem to have quite the upper hand!" Virion exclaimed.

"Even so, we must keep them at bay." Cherche said, her wyvern screeching before diving down and cleaved through several soldiers with her axe.

"..." Lon'qu stayed silent as he fended against multiple soldiers at once.

"For Ylisse!" Cordelia jabbed her lance onto a mage before flinging him onto the other mages.

"Time for a bloodbath!" Henry cheered as he cast a spell that caused an explosion upon the Plegian army, as the blast subsided, the dark mage giggled when he saw blood, organs and limbs raining from the sky. "Yaay! It's raining bloody pieces!"

"How unsightly..." A familiar voice spoke.

"Huh?" Henry looked to where the voice came from and saw Tharja walking by, wiping off bits of flesh that got onto her. "Hey, Tharja! Where have you been?"

"That is none of your business." She hissed, readying a spell. "Now stay out of my way. Else you wish that you are dead."

"Hee hee, are we having a wizard fight? How exciting!" He exclaimed happily. "A battle between dark conjurers whom are entwined by fate and intimacy!"

"I've already given myself to someone else, Henry! The "fate" you spouted is nothing but a string that has been severed!" She spat. "Now that I have devoted my life to Robin, there's nothing else that I care for!"

"Oh. If that's the case, why don't I join you."

"...You are willing to leave those fools and give up everything... In order to join our path." Tharja concluded.

"Not just for that." He smiled. "I've made a promise to you that I would protect Robin with my life! So if you're on her side, then I guess it means that I should be too!"

"Hmph. If you truly pledge yourself to undertake such act, then prove to me not by words, but by ki-"

Tharja was interrupted when Henry cast a spell upon the Ylissean soldiers with no hesitation. The soldiers writhe in agony as their bodies started to swell up and bulged before bursting like bloody fireworks. Tharja was taken aback by the sudden act as the whimsical dark mage smiled from ear to ear.

"Will, that do?" He happily asked.

"...Forget it." Tharja sighed. "Just don't get in our way."

"Yaaay!"

As the battle continued, Robin simply made her way around the battlefield as Lucina kept on guard. They managed to make it into the capital before they head towards the castle. The screams of the panicking civilians roam through the streets as the two wore cloaks to conceal themselves within the crowd while soldiers ran pass them.

Once they've arrived at the castle, Lucina waited at the foyer as Robin went deeper into the castle chambers. The Ylissean princess watched her mother went on when the sound of wings flapping caught her attention. Looking back, there stood Gerome. The wyvern rider calmly walked towards Lucina as he kept his eyes on her.

"Lucina..." He got out.

"Gerome... I didn't expect you to be here." Lucina said.

Gerome stood a few inches away from her. He looked down and noticed the Grima mark on Lucina's eye. He did his best not to get ticked off as he clenched his fists, but Lucina could tell behind Gerome's façade of how agitated he was. The person he loved and cared for is now a foe he must face, a turncoat dressed in red.