Revived Warriors and An Old Enemy
*Next day*
The Shepherds were standing across from Aversa and 12 other people.
'Perlustro.' Shane thought as he looked over them before being shocked at their names.
[Porcus the Assassin, Canis the Valkyrie, Gallus the Sorcerer, Simia the Swordmaster, Ovis the Sage, Equus the Paladin, Anguila the Dark Knight, Draco the Sniper, Lepus the War Cleric, Tigris the Warrior, Bovis the Bow Knight, Mus the General, Aversa]
Their names came from the past during the time of Seliph at the end of his journey.
"Robin," Shane said aloud, catching her and Chrom's attention. "We aren't against nobodies this time."
"Explain." Chrom told him.
"We're up against the last forces Seliph had to fight long ago. As much as I hate to say it, We'll need to split up. I'll be by myself because I can handle myself. Robin will be with Chrom, Frederick, and Lon'qu. Morgan will be with Lucina, Severa, and Say'ri. Corrin will be with Nah and Nowi." Shane told.
Robin nodded. "Once a group finishes their targets, they'll head after any remaining before rejoining with the group."
"Shepherds, to arms!" Chrom yelled.
The groups split up.
Shane summoned his gauntlets and Kuro while fighting against Mus the General.
Kuro gained a pink glow before Shane finished Mus off with a critical hit.
"Huh. Thought that would be harder." Shane admitted.
Only for Canis and Gallus to cast Valflame and Waste on him, which he managed to escape from before he charged at them.
Shane slashed Canis and split her Risen form in half before Shane and the area gained a red tint before Lethality activated and finished off Gallus.
"I really thought this would be more difficult." Shane muttered.
Robin grit her teeth as an arrow landed in her shoulder before she shot lightning from her Levin Sword and struck Bovis the Bow Knight before doing a follow up attack and finishing him off.
Robin turned to see Frederick fighting Draco up close, preventing him from attacking, leaving only a matter of time before he was defeated.
She then focused on Chrom and Lon'qu fighting Equus the Paladin.
Equus knocked back Lon'qu before Chrom landed a heavy blow before following suit.
Robin ran and jumped into the air before swinging her Levin Sword through Equus and finishing it off just as Frederick finished off Draco and rejoined them.
Everyone nodded, indicating they could still fight.
Corrin, Nowi, and Nah had turned into their dragon forms and decided to constantly pelt them with magic blasts which quickly started overwhelming Porcus the Assassin, Lepus the War Cleric, and Simia the Swordmaster.
This fight was theirs due to none of their opponents being able to attack from afar like they could.
That left Morgan, Lucina, Severa, and Say'ri to deal with Ovis the Sage, Tigris the Warrior, and Anguila the Dark Knight.
Morgan silently cursed due to them mainly having close-ranged fighters against two ranged fighters.
Morgan focused on Ovis while Severa and Lucina focused on Anguila, leaving Say'ri against Tigris the Warrior.
Ovis held his hand out at Morgan before casting Rexcalibur. Ice surrounded Morgan before shattering, sending him into the air with a slight grimace, glad Aegis had activated.
Morgan landed on the ground before holding the green tome Excalibur and his hand outstretched at Ovis as the tome glowed a tint of pink.
"Excalibur!" Morgan exclaimed before a cyclone surrounded Ovis before contracting quickly and cutting him into pieces, causing him to evaporate into purple smoke.
Say'ri grunted as Tigris's Helswath axe struck her in the side before Say'ri's Killing Edge gained a pink tint before she slashed Tigris and cut off the arm that wasn't holding onto the axe off.
Say'ri quickly followed up with another slash and caught it across the chest before it backed up.
Tigris swung at her again and caught her in her shoulder, causing her to let out a cry before steeling herself and thrusted her sword into Tigris's head. Not long after, Tigris started evaporating.
Lucina and Severa rolled out of the way of Anguilla's Thoron before pushing herself off the ground and quickly slashing Anguila before jumping back to Severa's side.
Anguila shot another Thoron that Severa pulled Lucina out of the way of.
Severa and Lucina quickly dashed at Anguila, hoping to quickly finish this.
Severa and Lucina slashed in an x shape before landing behind her as her body started to evaporate.
And with that, all twelve Dead Lords had been defeated.
The Shepherds regrouped to see Shane fighting Aversa before quickly ending the fight with a critical hit from Kuro.
"The ritual has already begun. You are too late! Farewell! Perhaps we shall meet again? Oh, actually...I suppose not! Heh hah!" Aversa laughed before she flew away.
"Damn! She escaped! Aversa wouldn't leave Validar before he was ready, even with her wounds. His preparations must be complete…" Chrom stated.
"We have to stop him! My future is upon us!" Lucina told in worry.
"We will, Lucina. I swear to you—we will." Chrom assured.
Shane nodded.
The Shepherds headed to the Table with Chrom, Robin, and Shane in the lead.
They had just entered the Table when a strong gust of wind blew against the Shepherds, blowing most of them away.
The only ones left near each other were Chrom, Robin, and Shane but he barely stayed in place due to him stabbing Kuro into the ground at the last second.
Suddenly, a wall of purple flames cut the three off from the rest of the Shepherds.
Chrom spotted Validar. "Validar!"
"Chrom... Come to witness the glorious culmination of your failure? How nice. I have the Fire Emblem, and the Dragon's Table is set for a feast. I will return Grima to this world!" Validar proclaimed.
"You'll DESTROY the world! Lucina has seen it!"
"Then I pray today's spectacle lives up to her nightmares! The Awakening rite is not only for exalts and Naga, you know. With it, I'll arouse Grima! The fell dragon needs only a mortal vessel, which you so kindly brought along…"
"...Oh, gods. He means me." Robin realized.
"We're not letting that happen honey." Shane assured
"You think quickly, Robin. That's my girl."
"No! Never! I'll die first!" Robin told him.
"You carry my blood—the blood of the fell dragon. His soul slumbers within you. And now the time has come to awaken you both!" Validar explained.
"...Wh-what?! I'M Grima? I'M the fell dragon?!" Robin said in shock.
She wasn't the only one as Chrom looked at Robin while Shane moved more in between Robin and Validar.
"The Grimleal have worked for generations to create someone like you... A vessel worthy of our master. Simply having Grima's blood in your veins is not enough... My father was not worthy, nor was his father before him. Even I was not able to accept Grima's most sacred gift. But you? You had all the makings. You were perfect!"
"N-no…" Robin muttered.
"If your damnable mother hadn't been seized by weakness and fear... She betrayed us—stole you from your crib, and fled with you in the night! I know naught of your life thereafter; but all that matters is your return. That you are here is PROOF of your purpose! It is why you still draw breath!"
"Her mother was not weak and afraid!" Shane exclaimed, shocking all three of them. "She was brave enough to go against what she believed in and strong enough to not let the unknown future prevent her from saving her child!"
Chrom stepped forward. "This can be stopped. YOU can be stopped."
With those words, everyone prepared to fight until a figure came out of a dark portal from the ground that appeared suddenly.
No one else knew who he was.
Except for Shane.
A blast of dark magic exploded from Shane before revealing him in his part dragon form but the mask showed his face.
He held Kuro in front of him and grabbed the hilt and blade. "Tsukisaku, Sukairyoshu!"
His hands changed where he now had his dual blades on the back of them now and his feet turned more dragon-like.
"Shane? What's wrong?" Chrom asked, shocked and confused about this new form he's taken.
"Oh? Have you met this fellow before? An...associate decided to lend him to us for this reason. Said you'd be here when you shouldn't." Validar commented.
"Shane. Who is that?" Robin asked.
"That is someone that caused me trouble in the past when I went looking for the kids. And he doesn't look like he's grown weaker."
Shane had immediately recognized the Death Knight from before but now he had a blade in his hand, Mercurius, the last one he needed to find to make the seal the Fire Emblem had stronger.
"You two fight Validar and leave him to me." Shane told before dashing at DK.