Rematch! Enraged Dragon vs Walhart

*3 days later*

The Shepherds were located outside the Capital that Walhart had stationed himself in.

"We fight to end this madness!" Chrom exclaimed.

Everyone charged forwards before splitting into their earlier groups.

Chrom and his group had defeated one of the Generals while Morgan and Corrin's group eliminated their Dark Mage before they gathered around the Throne Room where Walhart had waited for them.

"Walhart! Will you surrender?" Chrom asked.

"I will not! Not until I've had my rematch with Shane Sosuke." Walhart told.

"I'm sorry, but he has not returned so you will not get your match."

"Pity. Then I'll give him the sight of your corpses."

Walhart then charged forward and the Shepherds fought him together but didn't amount to much.

Frederick got knocked out of the fight by a heavy blow, almost all the mages were knocked out by the backside of the weapon, Paine, Yarne, Nowi, and Nah were knocked out while in their transformed state, and most of the close-ranged fighters were knocked out trying to block his attacks.

The only ones left were Morgan, Lucina, Corrin, Robin, and Chrom.

"Your entire army has yet to lay even a scratch. Shane could beat all of you easily."

"Quit talking about our dad!" Morgan and Corrin exclaimed before charging him, not hearing their friends cry out to stop.

Walhart spun Wolf before slamming it into both of their guts before they fell to the floor.

"So you're his children? Pathetic." Walhart raised Wolf into the air.

"No!" Lucina yelled before jumping in front of the two and blocking the attack but quickly fell to a knee from the amount of strength put into it.

Walhart quickly spun it and hit Lucina into the air, almost knocking her unconscious from the blow itself before crashing on the ground.

"Thoron!" Robin exclaimed, shooting a beam of electricity at him, only for it to do basically nothing except reveal a blue tint to his armor.

Walhart pulled back his arm over his shoulder before throwing Wolf at her and cutting her chest open enough for blood to come out but not enough for it to be life threatening.

"Robin!" Chrom exclaimed in worry.

"Do you see now Prince? None of you can stop me." Walhart prepared to attack the two children still on the ground.

"Walhart!" A deep voice yelled, causing him to stop and cause everyone to look where the voice came from and noticed Shane in his Human-Dragon form but with two blades sticking out of the back of his hands and claws on his feet. He also didn't have his dragon mask on, showing all the fury in his slightly glowing purple eyes.

"Shane Sosuke. I had hoped you would join us." Walhart moved away from the children and towards Shane.

"I'll give you one chance to surrender Walhart. After that, only one of us will leave this building alive."

Chrom, Lucina, and Morgan couldn't believe what they were seeing. Chrom largely because he didn't know he could turn part dragon but figured he could due to Corrin. Lucina and Morgan were shocked because in all their years of fighting Grima and Plegia, their uncle had never taken that kind of form.

"I knew you could go part dragon." Corrin barely whispered, happy to see the form she remembers from her own time.

Robin however, grew worried. While this is the first time she has seen him in this form, she still understood from what Shane has told her that this form is like his dragon form but not as harmful with the amount of Fell Magic but the trade-off would be that his negative emotions would get amplified.

And right now, Shane looked full of rage.

"Shane, I figured you understood from our last fight. I will never surrender until my dying breath." Walhart got in a fighting position.

"I tried to be nice. But first Walhart," Shane then looked him in the eyes. "I'm not going to hold back this time." Shane's face then became replaced by his dragon mask.

Shane dashed at Walhart who swung at him but Shane dodged it. He then gained a flower aura. "Ignis!" He swung forward and met his armor that gained a red tint.

That didn't stop Walhart from grunting from the force behind the strike though.

Shane didn't stop there as his blades grained a green tint. "Astra!" Shane slashed five times but each time hit his armor that gained a red tint. The tint didn't protect his armor as much as before which was shown by the multiple slash marks on his armor.

Walhart swung and managed to finally land a blow that caused some blood to go through the air but Shane had gained the flower aura once more.

"Goodbye Walhart. This is judgement for hurting my family. Ignis!" He shot his arms forward and the blades on his hands entered Walhart's chest where it did not activate Pavise.

Walhart dropped Wolf and began to chuckle the best he could.

"Often the sword..is the only way in some decisions. This Conqueror..declares you..the strongest." Walhart then gave his last breath.

Shane stood there before he grabbed Wolf and turned it into magic particles, keeping it.

"Shane." Robin muttered, pushing herself onto an elbow.

Shane's head whipped to Robin before his dragon armor glowed before going back into him as he ran over to her.

"Robin are you okay?" Shane asked before lifting her into his lap.

"I'll be..fine. Just need to take it easy for the next few days." She told him.

Shane looked around and saw most of the Shepherds were lying on the ground with a few exceptions.

"Is everyone still alive?" Shane called out.

He was answered by thumbs up and multiple groans.

"You..you..actually managed...to defeat..Walhart." Say'ri stated.

Shane dug through his bag and found a Goddess Staff that he turned into an orb. He grabbed it before crushing it in his palm.

A blue mist flew out from his hand and over the Shepherds before they started feeling healed.

Robin struggled to her feet before Shane helped her by putting her arm over his shoulder.

"What was that?" Chrom asked, seeing the Shepherds were starting to stand.

"That was one of the items I found while exploring in the past. That was a Goddess staff that I turned into an orb. When I crushed it, its power spread over all of you and healed you." He explained.

Chrom turned to Frederick. "Can you go tell the enemy that their leader has fallen?"

Frederick nodded before heading off.

Chrom turned around to see Shane looking over Corrin and Morgan, who were trying to get Robin's help to make him stop but only received a smile.

Chrom smiled as well. He doesn't see this side of Shane too often. He's usually too focused on doing his job as their second tactician and assassin.

A few minutes later, Frederick returned.

"Milord! Walhart's soldiers have agreed to cease hostilities."

"Finally... Then pull our men back immediately. ...It's strange, Frederick... Walhart and my sister were complete opposites. One gave her life to stop a war. The other took lives to create one. And yet they both inspired those around them; both walked a path to end all war. Both lived, and died, trying to unite the people." Chrom thought aloud.

"Yes, Father, but as they say, the method is the message. Your father suffered from beliefs similar to Walhart, and his legacy is plain to see…" Lucina told.

"And remember Chrom, peace through war rarely lasts longer than through diplomacy." Shane reminded.

"Mmm...these matters are too weighty for this moment. There will be plenty of time for reflection now that the war is done." Chrom said.

They spent the next 3 days returning to the town that they arrived in.

"Sir Chrom, a thousand thanks from every Valmese couldn't repay what you did for us. But I recovered Vert, the Gemstone that was stolen from Chon'sin as a trophy." Say'ri told before giving it to Chrom.

"You're giving it to me?"

"Of course, sir. It seems the fell dragon will soon threaten us all. I would feel safer knowing the Gemstone was in your hands."

"Then so it will be. Thank you, Say'ri." Chrom thanked.

"Are we packed and saddled? Our business in Valm is finished, but we have another task ahead. One perhaps even more dire than we faced here... To Ylisstol!" Chrom announced.

They then boarded their ships and headed back.

A few hours later, Shane, Chrom, and Robin were standing on the front deck of the ship.

Robin had noticed that something seemed on Chrom's mind.

"I know that face... "Dueling with unpleasant thoughts," are we?"

"You know me well, Robin."

"Hey, remember when Lissa first brought me here? When I met all the Shepherds? And Sumia... Ha ha! Oh, what a day! ...Actually, that's my first memory, in a way." Robin thought aloud.

"Heh. I suppose so. I wish all our memories since could have been as joyful."

"Remember, we're doing this so our children won't have too." Shane spoke.

"I know... So much needless bloodshed. So many days of pain and doubt and fighting... We would have never made it without you there to guide us, you know."

"Funny. I was going to say the same to you two." Chrom stated before continuing. "I've sent Frederick to search for Sable, the final Gemstone. And I've been reading more about the Awakening ritual. It seems that whoever attempts the rite must brave Naga's fire. If both body and spirit survive the agony, they are blessed with the dragon's power. Otherwise, the candidate...dies."

"What?! No!" They heard all of a sudden. "...Er, that is... Father, must you attempt this?" Lucina walked around the corner.

"Eavesdropping, young lady?" Chroma asked.

"Forgive me, Father. I didn't intend to... I came to speak with you, but I couldn't find the right moment and—" Lucina started.

"It's all right, Lucina. And yes, I'll be alright, too. I will withstand Naga's fire. I'm sure of it."

"Yeah, Chrom will be fine." Shane assured.

"Milord, I have returned." Frederick returned.

"Yes, Frederick? Did you find it?" Chrom asked.

"I believe so, sire. King Validar has extended an invitation. He says Plegia has been guarding Sable, and now he wishes to return it to you." Frederick told. "They sent word to me, milord. They must have caught wind of my search... In any case, Validar asks that you visit him in person, that he might formally present it. Perhaps needless to say, milord, but I don't like this one bit."

"Neither do I, Frederick the Wary. Neither do I. At best, it's selfish political maneuvering at a time when the world can ill afford it. At worst, our run-in with those Risen last visit was no accident... But we will meet with him. Send word at once." Chrom declared.

"Milord, are you...certain that's wise?" Frederick asked.

"No, but we haven't time to be certain. ...And my sister never refused a diplomatic gesture, no matter how foul smelling. If he doesn't give us the stone, he may at least reveal where it is. ...Don't worry, Frederick. I'm not walking into this blindly. We will make certain everyone is armed to the teeth."

"Then the Fire Emblem, milord—you ought at least leave it behind." Frederick tried to persuade.

"He can't." Shane told. "If we were to leave it at the palace, what's to say people won't sneak in and steal it? The point is, the emblem is safest with us."

With that, they planned to go to the meeting point once they hit land.