#and the embla royals are also of embla's blood?

[felikatze]

Fire Emblem protags rated by dragon-ness

*depends on Eliwood's dragonfucker status

**includes dragons among their potential love interests

"draconic blood pact" refers to characters whose ancestors were blessed by dragons and may or may not literally have draconic blood. i am uncertain

i have no goddamn clue what byleth qualifies as. half-homonculus.

lucina used in draconic blood pact section bcuz including chrom in the dragonfuckers tier is important to me personally

alear is suprisingly the first FE protag who is a full dragon without any schemantics attached? they're just a dragon.

transcipt below the cut

Dragons: Alear, Robin

Byleth: Byleth

Half-Dragon: Corrin

Quarter-Dragon: Roy

Draconic Blood Pact: Alm, Celica, Sigurd, Seliph, Leif, Alfonse, Sharena, Lucina

Non-Dragon: Lyn, Hector, Eirika, Ephraim, Ike, Marth, Elincia, Micaiah, Kris, Lianna, Rowan, Shez, Itsuki

Dragonfuckers: Eliwood, Chrom, Robin

[serenit-teas]

Gonna go wild and throw this out here imagine Cult of the Lamb FEH AU where the summoner is the lamb(or whatever animal you like honestly!) and it plays out very similarly to the actual intro of the game where ‘we’ (the summoner) are summoned by the god Askr.

Though the Dragon(Bull?) comes off a little strong and starts speaking to you through your mind in a tongue your once human ears aren’t accustomed to hearing - - while also reeling from the sudden summoning - - so being understandably dazed and frantic you run off, but before making it too far and gathering your bearings you’re captured and intended to be used as the final sacrifice by some ragtag cultists hoping to get in good graces with the fell god Embla, though before anything can be completed you’re saved by Askr.

And after being saved and given adequate time to process what has just happened, the god gives you two things. The first, a blessed cloak and hood, by wearing this item are you able to understand the language of this world. And second, a sacred artifact, one he calls Breidablik, that was once full of divine power meant to bring peace, but now a victim to time. The god is solemn when he tells you that despite your transfer into a new world and rescue from the cultists, the poor god is at the end of his strength, his life is almost spent. His bringing you here was a last ditch effort to have someone listen to his pleas.

He tells you of a kingdom that is fighting a losing battle against the same people that almost killed you. The Askran kingdom is on it’s last leg and the Emblian empire is wasting no time in wearing their forces thin. Askr is desperate and earnest when he pleads for your help, says, ‘That you must be the one. When I extended my powers and searched for someone to take my hand, you did. Only one with an open heart could have made it here.’ .

- - -

That really is as far as I’ve gotten plot wise! But there’s a million ways that things could go and be developed! ^^ Maybe Askr has a means of communicating with the Askran royal family and has told them to expect ‘A new ally’. Maybe the Summoner comes across Alfonse, Sharena, or Anna struggling to hold off some enemies and helps them out and one thing leads to another and boom! You are now part of the Askran kingdom defense squad! <:) (The Order of Heroes!)

Maybe it’s a situation in which a gods powers are dependent on the amount of those who are devoted to them, and in turn that power is what keeps said nations and even its royal families healthy and safe!(Something something gods imbuing royal families with their blood so the fate of the god affects those who were blessed as well) So the Askran kingdom as well as its royal family really are in need of some help!🥺

Please excuse the rambling I had an idea and absolutely went wild with it😔

[encursed]

♡ + company, family.

headcanons! (accepting)

SLAMS FIST ON TABLE WAIT HERE I AM ABOUT TO EXPLODE

veronica’s family is... dysfunctional, to say the least. her father waged war against askr and straight up died, his wife (who isn’t her mom but her step-mom i presume?) got exiled and died, and bruno got sent to the border between embla and askr also in exile. wow! what a dumpster fire, the emblian royal family. 

she has bruno, of course, though he disappears throughout the story and (based on how she clings onto him so) it’s safe to assume that, for the most part, she is left alone.

so... what’s left of her family now? who is she to call family, to call loved ones, to call brother and sister?

well.... families don’t always have to be bound by blood

BANGING FIST ON TABLE. THAT’S RIGHT FOLKS-- THIS IS ABOUT FOUND FAMILY

xander. mr. xander von nohr. he’s her retainer of sorts but he also becomes sort of an older brother/father figure to her. we see their relationship grow through the stories, paralogues and xenologues, and hell, their conversation as a duo pirate unit. it’s clear that he’s the closest to family she can get aside from bruno.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE-- HAVE WE FORGOTTEN ALFONSE AND SHARENA??

yes, you heard me correctly! it is my headcanon (and also deep personal wish) for her and the askran siblings to become pseudo-family! we see glimpses of it in the latest book (+ lif and thrasir’s deep bond in the third book which is another topic i can talk about all day) and i really do think she has the capacity to find her family within them!

wah just imagine veronica having tea with bruno... riding horses with xander... reading books with alfonse... exploring forests and hills with sharena... GAH i am all sorts of emo in this chilli’s tonight

so, yes! this is my family headcanon for veronica. a family, after all, can be an imperial princess with a penchant for violence, her masked older brother, her older brother who is also the crown prince of nohr, and her older brother and sister whose kingdom she tried to invade...

[arenablessings]

the legendary weapons of zenith

in the days of old, humanity and the divine dragons fought the gods to stop ragnarok. to even the odds, humanity forged weapons for their champions and they were blessed by the rogue goddess anna, who forsook her peers and sided with the ‘enemy’. these weapons would go on to be passed down through each royal family, eventually ending up in alfonse’s, sharena’s, veronica’s, bruno’s, fjorm’s, gunnthra’s, surtr’s, and laegjarn’s hands.

líf, chosen by askr, was gifted the sword and lance of light: fólkvangr and fensalir. though he did use both interchangeably, his swordsmanship was so renowned that all surviving records of him make mention of fólkvangr. to be fair, it was the weapon he favoured. both blade and sword act as mediums to channel the power to open gateways to other worlds granted by askr’s blood.

thrasir, chosen by embla, was gifted the tome of poison and divine staff: élivágar and hliðskjálf. she was also in possession of valaskjálf, though it was one of her personal tomes. over time, records would only list thrasir as a mage. her use of hliðskjálf would be lost to history, and it would be assumed the staff was simply emblian regalia. strangely hliðskjálf and both tomes, not just élivágar, act as mediums to channel the power to close gateways to other worlds granted by embla’s blood. perhaps because they were both used by thrasir herself? it is a mystery...

slídr, chosen by nifl, was gifted the lance of ice and tome of storms: leiptr and blizzard. he was known as a lancer, though records have survived of his magical prowess. after founding the kingdom of nifl, the sword gjöll and dagger sylgr were forged as well, though they are simply niflese regalia. while one is not required to be in possession of leiptr or blizzard to undertake the rite of frost, nifl is more likely to confer her power should they be present.

the champion of múspell, who still needs a name, was granted the axe and sword of flames: sinmara and níu. she was known for her prowess with an axe, though noted to be a skilled swordswoman. after founding the kingdom of  múspell, the blade laevatain was also forged... though there seems to be something strange about it. while one does not need to be in possession of sinmara or níu to undertake the rite of flame, the dragon is more likely to recognize the royal bloodline. 

[summoner-kentauris]

Do you have any headcanons about what Zacharias' relationship with Gustav and Henriette was like when he lived in their kingdom?

most of them are that the king and queen must have know he was emblian. i mean, they must have known. for one, he’s got the fluffy white Signature Emblian hair, and he was a child running for his life, I doubt he had time to dye it, even if he thought of it or known it could be done. for two, we know canonically that askr and embla had in the past, when they were friends, different writing systems, so i find it really most likely that in the present day they have completely different languages and certainly different accents. at the very least, judging by the way anna greets Kiran at the beginning of the game, the languages have different registers so. here comes this emblian-looking kid who looks emblian and sounds emblian. coming from the direction. of embla. and i can buy why the askran children would never have guessed that zach was emblian? because they are children, it probably wouldn’t have been obvious to them, given they probably would have never even met an Emblian before.

BUT!

the king and queen ought to know better. NOT ONLY does it seem likely that king gustav would have battled the last Emperor (possibly even personally, as i dont think the blood curse is going to allow the emperor to fight from the sidelines), gustav and henriette would have certainly seen emblians. especially if the war with embla only started back up again with the last Emperor. it could even be so that gustav may have met the emperor, back in the days when gustav’s father ruled. however, thats all speculation the point is that gustav and henriette have access to far more information than the children. i think its almost unrealistic if they never knew that this kid who snuck into their kingdom and befriended their children was an emblian.

now, i used to push it a tiny bit further before book iii came around in that. i cannot imagine that the emperor having a son would not be noticed by anyone. i know we are told the emblian royal family is really complicated, but i think the askran intelligence, which they do seem to have, would be insanely derelict in their duty for them not to have known that. for one, this is a kid the emperor had with his not-wife, who is despised by the entire royal family, so. thats going to be talked about right there. for two, askr has this incredibly dangerous warring neighbor, whose bloodline powers are a massive source of conflict and keep leading to war, and the askrans are not paying attention to the actual emperor‘s kids? i don’t find it likely. what i find more likely is that if alfonse, after a little bit of thinking, can figure out who bruno is despite the complexity of the court and years after he’s been banished from said court, then gustav and henriette would have definitely known of this kids existence. and i dont think it would have been that big of a leap for them to say:

“hey. so we know the emperor has a kid. about this many years old. who is despised by the royal court. and we also know that this random emblian kid, of the same age, who speaks high court emblian and just got caught fleeing from the direction of the capital is the same age. and, in fact, looks kind of like the guy that you gustav have actually seen and hey, he’s even got that distinct eye pattern that’s so recognizable he’s going to go through massive lengths to hide his eyes in the future when he’s trying to conceal his identity. wow, i wonder if, given all that, this could be the same kid?”

followed up by almost immediately:

“hey, our vulnerable and young royal children have really taken a shine to this mysterious child who could be a threat. lets send some spies to go check on his story. oh wait theyre saying the emperor’s lover is dead? also his kid is missing? how strange lets call this zacharias child bruno one day while he’s not paying attention and see if he responds. he did? cool beans problem. solved. it sure would be nice to have an emblian on hand who doesnt hate us for gate-closing purposes lets be really nice to him and make sure he doesnt leave.”

so that was my main headcanon regarding the king and queen and zacharias for like. forever.

HOWEVER. gustav, as he is wont to do, enjoys personally coming to destroy my headcanons and book iii has pretty much jossed the crap out of this. while they could have known zach was an emblian, it seems much less likely to me that they knew he was of royal blood, otherwise they would have asked him to close the hel-gate. UNLESS, of course, there is more to that story than gustav is telling us…

or i suppose maybe because zach’s curse stuff kicked in way later than vero’s seems to, maybe it simply seemed like he also didn’t have any gate powers either, and the king and queen assumed zach wasn’t actually the emperor’s kid. idk

anyway, this is a really long au where the king and queen know zach is emblian from the start but they take him inanyway that i scribbled out a long time ago that made me really saaad. i never put it on ao3 because its not clean and tidy yet, but. i really ought to. deals with some negatively portrayed erasure of zach emblian identity so heads up if that is triggery for anyone

[dondake]

[feh] the trip back always feels shorter

rating: t summary: Zacharias returns to Askr after years of being away.

[=]

They stop in Askr, between Muspell and Embla. Veronica is suppressing yawns but hiding them behind her hands, blinking her eyes to stay awake. She is still not comfortable traveling with the Askr troops, but while she is still battling her curse, she was saved by the Askr royal siblings so she doesn’t offer any resistance when they arrive at a stronghold on the outskirts of the city in the dead of night. After all, while she may be just a child and newly reunited with her brother who has the cure to their blood affliction, she did recently oversee a reign of terror and consented to the slaughter of Askr citizens. Her hand clenches for a moment too long on Bruno’s traveling robes when they arrive at her room, guarded by two, stern Askr soldiers, but she yawns again and allows them to lock the door in exchange for protection from enemies and a soft bed for the night. 

When Bruno returns to the courtyard, Alfonse and Sharena are standing around Fjorm as Anna debriefs the commander of the base on their recent victories. Fjorm’s coughs are becoming deeper, rattling in her throat. Bruno knows the futile ebb of life energy when he sees it, and her sacrifice is something even the strongest magic cannot reverse. Sharena notices him first, blinking before giving him a cautious smile. “Did your sister go to bed okay?”

“I will check in with her later; with what she’s gone through, I’m sure she’ll feel more comfortable with someone around for the night.” Fjorm looks up at him from her seat. Unlike the members of the Askr Kingdom, she only associates him with good, the one who had given them direction and appeared at the eleventh hour to keep the troops organized in the rear. Her eyes are clear and grateful to find a comrade. “You ought to see a cleric,” he suggests quietly. “That cough sounds uncomfortable.”

“I would like something for my throat,” Fjorm agrees. Alfonse, ever the responsible one, steps forward, but Sharena holds a hand up and wraps an arm around Fjorm’s back.

“I’ll take her to see our best doctor. Stay and talk to Zacharias; I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on!” Sharena wants to talk to him too, Bruno knows; he can tell by the inquisitive shine in her eyes behind the instinctual apprehension after his long absence. Supporting Fjorm on her feet, she touches his arm. “We won’t have long in Askr before we need to set out again, so you two should get some sleep also.”

“Of course,” Alfonse says, sounding put-off that his younger sister is chiding him, but she only laughs and guides Fjorm further inside the base. Alfonse shifts the weight on his feet, glancing up. The moon is reflected in Alfonse’s eyes. “Do you...still need to wear that?” He gestures at the mask over Bruno’s eyes.

Bruno brings his hand up to his face but lets it drop again. It doesn’t feel right to unmask himself; he isn’t hiding from anyone anymore, but he still has work to do and it feels premature to stand as Alfonse’s equal. “It’s been so long since I’ve taken it off that it’s strange to remove it, I must confess.”

Alfonse looks away. It’s been years since Zacharias left, right when they were both in the peak of their adolescence. His mother tells him that he still hasn’t lost some of his baby fat in his cheeks, but he’s outgrown several sets of royal robes and has had his royal diadem remeasured for official ceremonies. He’s laid in bed with his joints aching and thought about how Zacharias might have changed; wide eyes settling with wrinkles in the corners, hands gripping a lance with knuckles a little more prominent. Bruno is taller than him, taller than Zacharias had been before he’d left, and Alfonse can see his adam’s apple from behind his collar. 

He turns, walking to the edge of the courtyard to look at the nearby village to distract himself. When Bruno appeared in Muspell, to scoop Veronica out of harm’s way, Alfonse felt a medley of questions he wanted to ask, but it was not the right time. Now, they stick in his throat like thick syrup, not rising to his mouth yet unable to swallow them back into silence. He wants to know, where has Zacharias been? Why had he not asked their help, when they had trained and played and grown up together for years? What had he done to remove the curse from his body? How had Zacharias, Bruno thought about him in the years they had been apart? And yet, he also wants to lay his hands on him, to feel something alive in his fingertips without speaking. He wants to feel Bruno’s heartbeat against his chest, he wants to feel Bruno’s breath against his palm, against his lips. He wants to pull Bruno close, or be drawn into Bruno’s arms - the order doesn’t matter. For years, Alfonse buried the regret and longing to focus on being a good prince on the way to becoming a good king but for the moment, he wants to be what he is - a lovesick boy who wants to make sure what’s in front of his eyes won’t disappear again like smoke. 

The sound of footsteps comes up next to him, and with a rustle of robes, Bruno draws up alongside and peers out into the night. Feeling Alfonse’s eyes on him, he turns. “You look like you want to say something, my prince.”

The words bring a heat to Alfonse’s stomach, waking memories of Zacharias teasing him for being a goodhearted - too good - princeling who could barely wave a sword. “I want to touch you,” Alfonse says, swallowing and feeling his knees tremble, “but I don’t know how.” 

The mask is convenient, for Bruno looks away again but Alfonse sees the pink in his ears. “Alfonse...I, too, would like to touch you but I’m afraid. I’ve hurt you before and I don’t trust myself not to hurt you again.” His hands are safely at his sides, gloved so all the callouses and broken nails from clawing out of his curse’s grasp are carefully hidden. 

Alfonse reaches over and takes Bruno’s hand, holding tightly at first as he rightly predicts that the Emblian prince might try and jerk away. He keeps his gaze down at their hands, embarrassed to observe Bruno’s reaction to his boldness, releasing some of his tension when Bruno presses some weight back into his hand. Bruno’s hand is not significantly larger than this, but it is warm in his. Alfonse still has so many things he wants to say, but for now, this is enough. Bruno squeezes back. 

[clauderiegan]

Journey  [rarepair week, Bruno/Zacharias x Summoner]

A/N: I’ve started to cross-post from my AO3 as I know some people only use tumblr for fics! you can find my ao3 here. i’m also only writing for one prompt this week and aren’t really involved in the whole thing but wanted to jump on and contribute with this super rare pair (there’s like 8 fics on ao3 rip) check out some great other works at @ferarepair-week!

Tracking the Order isn't that hard in retrospect - bright white and shiny gold are quite easy to spot even from a hidden observation point. He knew they were coming to the World of Awakening and it was all too easy to spot them the moment they had arrived, their large group filling the quiet of the nearby forest with sound.

What is hard is watching them.

He feels guilt pool in his stomach at the slight scowl on Alfonse's face, visible through the trees. The younger man had always been more of a serious type than his sister, but in the time since Zacharias had become Bruno (or was it the other way around?) the blunette seemed to constantly have a glum expression on his face. From the brief conversation they had shared in the World of Mystery (although Alfonse was entirely unaware on who he was speaking to), he seemed full of distrust and suspicion. He knew he was partly responsible, and it hurt to see the downcast eyes of his old friend staring blankly ahead. He looked stronger, at the very least. His grip on his sword was less tentative; no longer was he the bright eyed boy begging Zacharias for tips on how to hold the hilt properly in the Askran training grounds.

Thinking of that was uncomfortable, so he turned his hidden gaze to Sharena. She like her brother had a firm grip on her lance and eyes trained straight ahead, though she was talking up a storm to the knight next to her as they weaved their way through the forest. 

He was glad that she at least, had not been so broken from his disappearance. Seeing the form of her lance filled him with a soft pride; while he and Alfonse had sparred from time to time, he had taught Sharena the lance himself. Some might think her head empty with the amount of talking she did, but they would be wrong; she was a fast learner and an even faster thrust with the lance.

Commander Anna seemed just as unruffled as ever. She had always prided herself on being the rock of the Order (unless money was involved) and today she looked no different than ever. She looked so confident, so approachable that he wistfully imagined leaving his current hiding position and asking for her help. But he'd already been over it a million times in his mind, turning the problem over and over at a relentless pace. Resigned to watching them go, he took note of their position and turned to remount his steed.

A last figure caught his gaze. He squinted, briefly not recognizing them.

They were clad in a golden white robe, a hood currently obscuring their face. Ah, that Kiran. From his body posture, he seemed unsure of what they were doing, trailing after the first three uncertainly. Anna looked back and smiled at the other, receiving a weak one in return.

He didn't know what to make of the so called Legendary Hero. He seemed confused by the title and even more baffled by the divine weapon that was supposedly his belonging. From the brief whisperings he had heard, they had indeed come from another world, though he was unfortunately not privy to much more than that. He knew not of Kiran's goals, ambition or personality.

All he hoped was that this newcomer could look after his friends while he could not.

It turned out Kiran was very capable of protecting the Order of Heroes. Or to be specific, Kiran's heroes.

Bruno wasn't sure how the tactician had managed to recruit some of the Heroes he did (and he used Heroes loosely, because the person who had nearly killed Bruno with an earth-shattering axe strike was the morally dubious King of Macedon). Yet here he was, his troops defeated and he himself barely conscious thanks to the thrashing Kiran had delivered them.

He coughed up a small splattering of blood, willing his arms to move. Nothing.

"I... I can't keep fighting. You Order of Heroes people... Don't you realize you're on the wrong track?"

Kiran and Alfonse, currently panting with exhaustion in front of him, looked confused.

"They're going to your summoning ruins - to destroy them. Do you understand what that would mean - for everything?"

He looked straight into Kiran's eyes. The other returned his gaze, cautious but a fire in them.

"If so, you should get to the ruins fast."

The other stared. And then- a nod.

Bruno gritted his teeth together, trying not to be sick. His head was pounding again and unintelligible, ominous whispers seemed to swirl inside his head. He had wanted to help them more, but he had felt it; the distinctly nauseating feeling of losing control creeping upon him. As soon as he had become aware of it, he had fled- he could only hope that the Order would make it to the ruins in time. In his current state, he was far better off alone let he hurt them himself. He held his head in his hands, trying to breathe in and out evenly as the pain increased.

"Gods... please stop" he seethed, running a tired hand through his hair.

He couldn't go on like this much longer. They had Kiran now, right? They didn't need him anymore, no one did. He should die. He SHOULD die.

Wait, no Veronica, shit-

He sighed again. His thoughts were becoming disjointed, hateful, manic. He needed to sleep.

He dreamt of Kiran, staring down at him with that fiery gaze. He was so bright it hurt to look at him.

Bruno was beginning to think these 'observations' were starting to border on unhealthy.

He had been trailing behind them, catching glimpses of them here and there. Alfonse training with his sword, Sharena and Anna cooking something together, Kiran talking to his heroes...

He knew at the very least it wasn't wise. At times when looking at the Askran royals, his blood had flared up and he would flee in a panic. Trying not to leave any trace of his presence while desperately battling the urges inside of him, wanting to ride back and shatter Sharena's bones with a spell, grab Alfonse's sword and plunge it into his stomach-

Gods.

And yet, gazing upon Kiran had yet to make him volatile or unstable. The sight of him was... welcome in some aspects. He had made Alfonse smile, he seemed more than happy to talk to Sharena and Commander Anna seemed to trust him as well as anyone. Despite being not that much younger than Bruno himself by the looks of his appearance, the summoner acted as a mother hen towards his many heroes. A few times the summoner had unintentionally made Bruno crack a smile from his vantage point as he mothered heroes much older, scarier and stronger than himself. Watching him with the younger heroes, Kiran smiling gently as he helped Elise put a flower crown on Maria's head was... making him feel something else entirely.

In any case, the Order didn't seem to be missing him, and Kiran seemed more than superior as his replacement.

Bruno wanted to be among them. He wanted to spar with Alfonse, answer Sharena's many questions, teased by Commander Anna... he wanted to ask Kiran about his world, ask what he left behind and if he was alone like Bruno too-

No.

That was not for him, anymore.

He couldn't keep it up much longer.

He had talked to Order several times under his new disguise, and each time found himself more and more unhinged. His words, his actions... he was finding it increasingly difficult to remind himself of the fact that they were once comrades. The whispers of blood and destruction trailed him in every day, lingered in his voice...

He had truly become Prince Bruno of the Emblian Empire. And gods, how he hated it.

He watched, dispassionate from atop his horse as the Order struggled against the Heroes from the World of Radiance. Blessed (or cursed, perhaps) with Embla's Ward, all they could do was defend themselves against the onslaught. The sane part of him was screaming at him to do something, to try and even the odds a little for the Order without alerting Veronica. The other part of him wanted to see blood, and soon.

The war waging within him showed little on his face - he was the hated Prince of the enemy country today.

He had to hate them, didn't he? And they would hate him.

He was heading back, wincing at the wounds sustained by the Order (Sharena WAS better than him at the lance now) when he heard yells in the distance.

He whirled around, confusion turning to panic as he identified Anna's voice among the screams. Gritting his teeth, he turned his steed towards the sound. Their enemy in public he currently may be, but he couldn't find it in himself to ignore the yells either. He had seemingly reached the general area where the yelling was coming from - though as of now, all he could hear was a quiet voice talking beyond the small forest he was in. He swiftly dismounted and crept towards the sound, placing himself between two thick trunks of trees.

Ahead of him was a small clearing and to his dismay, Kiran trembling in front of Veronica.

"I'll pop your head right off. Just like I used to do to my dolls"

His heart lurched. Clearly, the other had been separated from the Order and was now prey to the Princess' bloodthirsty whims. He saw the summoner take a frightened step back as Veronica advanced on him, her tiny stature at odds with the vile, poisonous magic beginning to froth from her hands, painting the scene with an eerie green light.

He couldn't let this happen.

"Forgive me, sister" he thought to himself before quickly pulling out his tome.

He gathered just enough magical energy in his hands to interrupt her, but not to seriously injure (the curse had not yet urged him to hurt his own kin, and for that he was eternally grateful).

It hit her right in the back, sending her stumbling forward in confusion as Kiran backed up, eyeing his position. Shit. Can't let the summoner see him.

"Who dares?" Veronica hissed, but was quickly drowned out by a loud thrum of magic; a portal had reopened not far from Kiran's location.

"Run Kiran! Towards the light!" he yelled, trying to disguise his voice while parrying a shot of dark energy from Veronica with his magic.

He wasn't sure it worked; Kiran's face looked like it had the dawning of recognition of it between the confusion and panic. Luckily, the summoner did not stay to question it further and turned tail, running towards the portal. Veronica snarled, torn between unintentionally battling her own half brother and chasing after Kiran. She sent a shot of green energy at Kiran's feet, tripping the other up with a yelp.

"Just go, trust me! I'm Zacharias - Alfonse and Sharena's friend!" he called, hardly even knowing why he was saying this.

If Kiran put two and two together...

And yet, some stupid, infatuated part of him wanted Kiran to know. For him to tell the Order that Zacharias wasn't a faded memory, a forgotten name, a corpse-

"Keep going!" he encouraged, watching the other pick up speed with Veronica hot on his heels, enraged.

The portal thrummed once more and Bruno could no longer help himself.

"Kiran! You'd better watch out for Alfonse and the others!"

The summoner looked back, searching desperately for a face to put to other's voice. And then-

he was gone.

Bruno had saved him. Or Zacharias, to be exact.

Wincing at his own foolishness, he turned tail as Veronica whipped her head towards his location with fury etched on her face. Desperate for her to not see Kiran's daring rescuer, he sped off towards his mount, head still pounding with unwarranted whispers.

Bruno had thought himself ready to die. He had begged for it just moments ago, urging Alfonse to drive his sword into his gut for 'killing' Zacharias (and it was hardly a lie, if one thought about it).

If it was Alfonse that killed him, it was fine right? He wouldn't be able to hurt anyone. He would stop having fits of bloodthirstiness where he could no longer control his own body. He wouldn't hear a voice in his head, wouldn't think of murdering his closest friends, wouldn't have to struggle through every day and night to no purpose. No more dreams of Alfonse with his throat slit, of Sharena with a broken neck....

And yet-

he couldn't look away from Kiran.

The other was staring again, not speaking a word but his gaze spoke volumes on their own.

'I know what you are'.

"Don't" is what he wanted to say, but Alfonse stepped forward with fire in his eyes,

"The time to avenge my friend has come" he hissed, unsheathing his sword.

Ah.

Kiran was staring at him.

Don't. Please.

"Alfonse, wait".

Gods damn it.

"Yes Kiran? What is it?"

"So... Zacharias."

His lips turned upward in a wry little smile.

"That's me, I suppose".

Kiran looked troubled. They were outside the castle they had battled in all but a few moments ago - now all was quiet. He had wanted to speak to Kiran alone about the curse- but was finding himself increasingly distracted.

"You really were going to let them kill you if I didn't say anything?"

He nodded.

"The future isn't looking bright for me, Kiran. You already promised you would end me if I lost my mind completely."

The summoner looked down at that, perturbed.

"Is that really what you want?"

"It is. I don't want to hurt the people I love."

Kiran sighed, crossing his arms.

"You aren't lost yet. You saved me yourself in the World of Radiance not so long ago!"

Bruno inclined his head at that, his heart beating slightly faster.

"You didn't have to. But you put yourself at risk to help me. Why?" Kiran asked, eyes softening.

Those gods-damned eyes. They'd be the ruin of him someday.

"I have just told you. I don't want to hurt the people I love".

Kiran turned red.

"Y-you-!"

"Until next we meet, Kiran" Bruno smiled, laughing at the pink tinge on the other's face as he mounted his horse.

[pasteladins]

Worst Case Scenario (1/2)

Pairings: Kiralfonse F/M

Summary: There is always a possibility of Kiran getting injured on the battlefield.

The shrill sound of clashing metal could be heard throughout the battlefield as Askran forces fought off an Emblian onslaught. The current skirmish was all due to an ambush led by their commander, Xander, as he attempted to overwhelm and take over an Askran fort. The crowned prince slashed his way through Askran soldiers as if they were nothing. His legendary sword, Siegfred, glowed its unsettling purple aura as it countered enemies from close range and from afar.

Despite the chaos unfolding on the battlefield, the Askran’s tactician, Kiran, stood her ground as she called out orders for the heroes. Without her guidance, the army may have ended up in a full state of panic. The summoner checked each area of the battlefield before creating new strategies in her head.

After being summoned here almost nine months ago, Kiran had gradually gained the confidence to lead the growing army of Askr against Embla. Despite her lack of experience, the summoner did her best to assist the kingdom in any way she could. This was definitely appreciated by the Askran royals, as well as their commander. The sudden appearance of Kiran led to rise in victories and morale.

However, even with her huge success as a tactician, Kiran had a major weakness -- she could not fight in battle. The summoner would have to enter each and every battle weaponless and only hope that she would come out of the skirmish alive. Although many of the heroes would not hesitate to protect the summoner, the risk for a fatal injury was still a possibility. This truly unnerved everyone in the Order, but not as much as the Askran prince.

No matter how much Alfonse fought against it, he slowly began to establish a close relationship with the tactician. They grew close as time went on, and Alfonse could no longer control the growing feelings he had for Kiran. Eventually, the two became an item because of this, an event that neither of which had seen coming.

Now, Kiran meant the world to Alfonse, and losing her would be crippling to both him and the army. This is why the royal made sure to place himself close to Kiran in case any Emblian soldier would strike her down. His trusted Folkvangr glimmered against the moonlight despite the stains of blood coating its blinding metal. The precious stones glowed a beautiful white light as he brought it down onto another solider, slowly dwindling the enemy army’s numbers with little effort.

“Let me through!!” He triumphantly yelled, knocking down a pair of axe wielders as he progressed through the enemy’s front lines. He had become so focused on defeating the soldiers in front of him, that Alfonse had wandered far away from Kiran.

The summoner had her own issues, and she was too focused on assisting Lyn and Hector with the oncoming raid of archers to notice that the prince had run off. She frantically waved her gloved hand to call on the mages Robin and Henry for assistance on the battlefield. Although the area was covered in trees and different vegetation, the two mages were able to spot their tactician, her white and gold cloak contrasting with the dark colors of the night. When Henry and Robin gained the upper hand in the battle against the archers, Kiran thought it would be appropriate to leave, eager to help out the other areas of the battlefield.

For the most part, the battle had been under Askran control. After what seemed like an eternity, Xander called for a hasty retreat, lest they risk losing more soldiers. As the Emblian soldiers ran off, the Order of Heroes let out a triumphant cheer  for successfully defending their fort. All that needed to be done now was to asses the damage as healers ran across the battlefield, ready to help those who were injured.

Alfonse sheathed his trusty Folkvangr back into his scabbard, silently reminding himself to clean it after all of this was over. He then looked over his shoulder, expecting Kiran to come running up to check on him. It was something she tended to do, just as he would fuss about her own health, Kiran would dote on the Askran royal -- especially after battles. Her lips would form a pout as she would assess any injuries and would profusely apologize if she had sent him off on a particularly risky area.

He frowned deeply when he noticed that Kiran was not there, his heart skipping into a quickened beat. Alfonse felt something was amiss as he scanned the battlefield for his trusted partner. It was when he heard the voice of the Exalted Lucina that caused his worries to increase tenfold.

“Has anyone seen Lady Kiran?”

Hushed whispers came from all directions as everyone felt the air grow with tension. Where was their tactician? Had she been kidnapped by the enemy? Or maybe worse…?

Commander Anna spoke above the anxious whispers, her own voice strong enough to travel across the former battlefield. “Everyone, split up and look for Kiran! Palla, Catria, Est, please, fly above to see if you spot her.”

Without hesitation, the entire army went out in groups to look for Kiran. Alfonse and Sharena went together -- the siblings did work best after all.

The prince scanned the area, desperately hoping to spot her signature cloak covering her unharmed form, but all he could see was the vegetation -- it seemed almost supernatural. “Kiran! Can you hear us?”

“Kiran!!” Sharena yelled, gripping Fensalir tightly gripped in her hands. The frown she currently had on her face deepened when she received no answer. “Oh brother, do you think she’s alright?”

Alfonse did his best to not give into his worst fears, but for every minute that they could not find Kiran, he felt himself slowly losing his willpower. Despite his doubts eating away at his mind, the prince would not allow his pessimistic outlook to affect his sister, so he gave her the best reassurance he could offer.

“I’m sure she’s alright Sharena. Most likely, Kiran hid from an enemy soldier after the battle, and is currently waiting for one of us to find her.”

“I hope so… I’m just so worried.” The frown on Sharena’s face did not disappear as she continued their search, and Alfonse felt his chest tightened, his failure to appease his sister only made his own fears grow. At this point, he couldn't even believe his own words.

If the Emblian forces took her, there is no telling what Veronica might do to her. She would look past the obvious advantage of having the legendary Breidablik-wielder at her disposal and would instead kill Kiran on the spot. The mere thought was enough to twist the prince’s stomach.

“Kiran? Kiran!!” His calls echoed through the forest only to be replied with the voices of various heroes in the army looking for the summoner. At this point, their search looked to have dismal results.

“Kiran!!” But he couldn’t just give up… “Kiran! Please! Answer me!!” He just wanted to embrace her, and stroke her hair -- something that tended to relax not only Kiran, but himself. He just wanted to know that she was safe and alive.

“Al...fonse…?” The prince whipped his head around when he heard his name being called, albeit by a weak and croaking voice. Sharena also heard, her ponytail flung violently as she turned her head.

“What was that?”

“Help…” It was a meek and trembling voice, and it sounded like they were in a devastating amount of pain. Quickly, Alfonse made his way to the source of the voice, spotting something -- or someone, rather -- rustling in the bushes.

The prince cautiously approached the bush, his sister following mere steps beside him. As they approached the bush, they spotted the familiar white and gold markings of their tactician’s coat. Immediately, Sharena’s serious expression turned into a joyous one upon seeing Kiran.

“Kiran!! Thank goodness we found you!” Her cheerful demeanor returning rather quickly as she approached her dear ally. However, when she received no response from her friend, the princess’ new smile fell quickly. “...Kiran?”

Alfonse cautiously took a step forward, inspecting Kiran and her odd behavior. Why was she hunched over? It would be much easier to spot her if she was standing. As his feet carried him closer to the summoner, he had realized that his worst fears were becoming a reality.

He spotted the sickening crimson staining the other side of her coat, and a good amount of it dripping onto the soil beneath her. The summoner was trembling, and her eyes were dazed, as if they had difficulty concentrating on her surroundings. Her eyes were filled with tears that fell almost as quickly as the blood from her cloak. However, what caused the prince to almost gag on sight was the arrow. The arrow, that was the cause of her rapid bleeding, was protruding from her side. An archer had landed a direct hit on Kiran, and it looked fatal.

The summoner could not respond as the shock from the injury caused her mouth to clamp shut. Her trembling body only worsened the pain, as it agitated the arrow inside. Her hands were currently applying pressure to the wound, but it seemed futile as blood still freely oozed through her fingers, and that only terrified the summoner. She was never used to seeing this much blood coming out of her body. All tactical thoughts were replaced with the desperate need to make the pain go away. To feel better.

“He...lp…” Her voice was weak, barely audible to the Askran siblings.

Alfonse could feel the bile rising in his throat, as he had never wanted to see such an image in his entire life. He had killed soldiers before, and although this gave him an unsettled mindset, he had no connection to them. But this. This was Kiran. His beloved Kiran. Witnessing her on the verge of death made him absolutely sick.

“Alfonse!” Sharena called, snapping the prince out of his dreadful thoughts. “We need to get her to a healer! Quick!”

“O-Of course!” The Askran prince blinked, forcing himself to move closer to Kiran. He gingerly snaked his arm under her legs and back in order to hoist her up. However, the sudden movement caused the arrow to jostle violently from its place, and Kiran let out a painful cry. She gripped Alfonse’s scarf, staining the white piece of clothing with her blood. Alfonse swallowed hard to keep the bile from building up.

The prince’s heart shattered as he could only helplessly offer some useless words for reassurance. “F-Forgive me, Kiran. I know it hurts, but it will be all better….” At this point, he didn’t know whether that was for Kiran, or himself. He held the trembling tactician close to his chest as he and Sharena headed back to the fort.

As he carried her closer and closer to the fort, Alfonse could hear the small whimpers escaping Kiran’s mouth as she sobbed through the pain. Her hand still gripped his scarf, and the prince could have sworn that he smelled her blood.

“Al…” Kiran mumbled, her incoherent state making her speak. “I don’t… want to die…” She sobbed, tears falling even moreso now. “I don’t…”

Her meek, vulnerable voice tore Alfonse’s heart, and he blinked feverently in an attempt to block the tears threatening to spill.

“Y-You won’t…” His fear caused his voice to shake. Alfonse could see the fire from one of the mages. Princess Anthiese. He was so close. “You won’t die here. I won’t let it happen.”

“Lady Celica!!” Sharena frantically waved her arms in order to catch the royal’s attention. “Lady Celica! Light a flare!”

The Zofian princess, quickly understanding the gravity of the situation, raised her arm up and fired a simple fire spell. In a quick moment, the army started to group together, curious as to why she sent the signal.

“Kiran has been injured!” Alfonse spoke, not wanting to waste time. “We need a healer, now!”

With not a moment to lose, clerics such as Lissa and Maria flocked Alfonse, preparing their staffs.

“Oh this won’t work!” Lissa whined. “We need to remove the arrow! Let’s get her to the healing tent!”

“Prince Alfonse, will you assist us?” One of the clerics, Priscilla, asked as she hoisted up her mount. “I can take you both on my horse.”

The prince wasted no time in pulling himself up on top of the horse. His actions sufficing as a reply.

Alfonse had prepared himself to hear Kiran protest in some way -- all this movement must have upset her, but she was silent. She was silent… Alfonse’s blood ran cold when he looked down and checked on the summoner. Her eyes were close, and her breathing was shallow. Her ghostly pale face frightened him as it eerily glimmered under the moonlight.

“Kiran? Kiran!” He yelled, gently tapping her cheek in an attempt to force a reaction from her. “Kiran!!” His arms trembled as he felt a numbness take him over, his grip on Kiran loosening. He stared at the tactician, tired and distressed eyes scanning for any type of movement.

His chest tightened as he could only see the shallow breaths that struggled to push. Alfonse lowered his head, his worst fears finally consuming his mind. Kiran was dying.

[wielderofbreidablik]

Kiran

eName: Kiran

Class: Summoner

Gender: Male

Birthday: May 11th

Zodiac: Taurus

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Blue

Height: 5'9

Weight: 184 lbs

Handedness: Right

Blood Type: AB

Sexuality: Hetero

Appearance

Kiran is a young man with a slender white complexion that’s largely unblemished. He has short dark feathered hair, royal blue eyes, and an ovular face. Prior to coming to Askr, he had a very average build with little to no muscle definition. However, after joining the Order of Heroes and participating in the dangers of combat, he begins training to increase his strength, speed, and stamina, eventually gaining a more lean and athletic figure over time. His normal attire consists of an open white cloak with gold trim, worn atop a blue shirt, with a leather belt worn on the outside that holds several pouches around the back and Breidablik’s holster. His pants are baggy and white (also with gold trim) that are tucked into brown leather boots. He also wears brown leather gloves, unless he’s working at his table or sleeping.

Profile

Kiran was born and raised in a small rural town called Folkson, where the climate was temperate all throughout the year and the people were as fair as they were firm. His mother, Freya, was one such individual, who conceived her son during a passionate spring she shared with a man from out of town. This man, who would be Kiran's father, disappeared during the season's end - effectively vanishing without a trace and leaving Freya as a single parent. Regardless, she did not begrudge her circumstances and in fact bore her son with grace and pride, eventually nurturing him into the gentle, smart, and diligent young man that spent most of his time working in a little restaurant to help support his mother.

However, with what time he could afford away from his job and his other daily activities, Kiran would enjoy the realms of fantasy and sci-fi found within his books and games. Of particular interest to him was the Fire Emblem series, with its many tales of heroes, kingdoms, and dragons. He'd long since lost count of the number of hours he'd spent investing itself in everything from its lore to the mechanics of its games. As a matter of fact, it was not at all uncommon for him to fall asleep suddenly in the middle of enjoying a new entry and dream deeply of being immersed in its world.

But on one fateful February, those dreams would become something much more, as a voice suddenly called out from across boundaries that were previously unknowable to him. It spoke through feelings and impressions - not words - and carried with them a sense of urgency that soul as kind as his couldn't dismiss. Indeed, before he even understood what was happening, Kiran found himself trying to reach out to the voice in response, and in doing so became consumed by a pillar of blinding light.

Moments later, his eyes open to find that he was no longer in the comfort of his home, or anywhere in Folkson for that matter, though he was accompanied by a figure that seemed familiar. Swept up by confusion Kiran instinctively focused on the person before him, trying to find his bearings through recognition. But the person before him wasn't someone he had met. They shouldn't have even been real. It was Anna, a reoccurring character from Fire Emblem. But that was impossible! Absurd! Yet she starts speaking to him and her voice is familiar too, and he's so shocked by these alien circumstances that all he can do is stare for a time, unable to find his voice.

However, there would be no opportunity for understanding then. All too quickly the two are besieged by enemies and Kiran is forced to take on the relic Breidablik. Through conflict after conflict, Kiran comes to know of his new surroundings: the world of Zenith. He then comes to meet the royal siblings Alfonse and Sharena. According to what he learned from them and Anna, their kingdom - Askr - was at war with the kingdom of Embla, and that each side had the ability to open and close portals respectively and that these portals lead to different worlds. Embla was traveling to these worlds to conquer them and enslave their champions to conquer further worlds and enslave further heroes. All at the behest of Princess Veronica. He also came to learn that Breidablik had the ability to summon forth the Heroes of other worlds to fight at his side, an ability that only he could properly utilize and that this made him instrumental to Askr and its Order of Heroes in their campaign to protect the worlds from Embla and its like.

When he finally came to know all of this and they formally requested his as aide, Kiran understandably hesitated. They were asking him to participate in a war after all. A war between individuals that, until not long ago, he'd been sure to be entirely fictitious - one that, in all likelihood, would not be ending any time soon. It was certainly a lot to be asking someone who seemed so astoundingly average compared to those that surrounded him now.

But still, it was an unrefutable fact that through Breidablik, Kiran had a power that was both formidable and unique. A power that could be used to save people and prevent tragedy. What’s more, his tactical prowess had already proven itself to be just as invaluable as well. So could he really turn a blind eye to all of that just to stay out of harm's way? After all, if he had the power to protect those in need of salvation, didn’t he have a responsibility to take action? As momentous as those questions were, it didn’t take him long to find the answers. Indeed, it might be more accurate to say that he had known them before he had begun to ask himself.

So with somber determination, Kiran adopts the role of both summoner and head tactician for the Order of Heroes, even as the challenges before him began casting a broad shadow upon his future.

Personality

Kiran is best described as a cheerful and optimistic person who's extremely loyal to those he cares about. He's also quick to form attachments and sympathize with those he spends time with, so from the outside looking in Kiran can sometimes seem like a naive person. However, Kiran is also extremely intelligent and quick-witted, so he's not easily taken in by those trying to deceive or take advantage of him unless it's being done by someone he believes is absolutely beyond doubt.

Kiran also has a very strong sense of responsibility and ethics, always being willing to take action on matters that demand it, even if said actions would normally be reprehensible or daunting to him. This makes him an extremely selfless person, so much so that he's often in danger of neglecting his own needs in service of helping others. On more than one occasion, Kiran has overworked himself for the sake of the Order. He's also quite modest, so much so that it can border on insecurity at times, as is evident whenever comparisons are made between him and the members of the Order of Heroes or he begins to reflect on any of his past failures, such as the death of Gunthra.

He isn't very quick to anger, and in fact, is a remarkably gentle person. After fighting Muspel, he becomes apparently more hardened to the point that he becomes capable of summoning individuals such as Grima, Duma, and Garon, though his kind nature remains intact owing to the love and support of his allies. However, if someone he cares about is in sufficient danger or should someone be unjustly harmed, he can become much more aggressive in eliminating the threat.

Kiran can also be surprisingly protective at times. For example, even though Breidablik’s power prevents his units from permanently dying in battle, he still takes steps to prevent situations where they would get hurt, and in fact has put himself in danger to keep them safe on several occasions, even though he’s more at risk than they are owing to his poor fighting skills. Furthermore, his fierce sense of loyalty and compassion can also drive him to extremes in an attempt to see those he cares about safe and happy.

Kiran can easily be described as a romantic individual, capable of finding positive qualities in just about anything. Most especially with the opposite sex and any potential partners of his. This makes him more easily swayed by the words or actions of girls, something that Sharena unknowingly makes use of on a near-daily basis and that Anna does much less innocuously. The reason for this is very largely owing to the amount of female involvement in his life growing up, most particularly from his mother, who was a pure and constant presence for him.

Abilities

In terms of fighting potential, Kiran's abilities are quite low. Unlike the many Heroes he's surrounded by, he hadn't spent even a single day of his life preparing for battle, making his stamina and physique remarkably average. After coming to Zenith of course, he does begin training more formally, though he’s obviously far behind his peers. However, Kiran’s true value lies in his ability to plan and strategize, allowing him to lead the Order of Heroes to numerous victories with few casualties throughout his significant tenure as head tactician. This has also earned him a place on the battlefield in spite of his inability to fully protect himself, though more cunning individuals such as Veronica have been quick to take advantage of this and have isolated and captured him on more than one occasion. 

Kiran's most unique and significant ability is his ability to wield the relic Breidablik, which allows him to summon Heroes should he have enough Orbs. As it stands, Kiran has great difficulty summoning specific individuals, since Breidablik responds more acutely to his feelings rather than his thoughts, though there have been certain occasions when he's done so. Breidablik by default also form contracts with those he summons, so like Veronica he has the ability to subjugate his Heroes, though in practice he rarely ever does so - with exceptions being to those he feels like he needs to reign in. Breidablik also has the ability to prevent those contracted to him from falling in battle, though they can still be incapacitated by other means. This protection does NOT extend to death caused by sickness, hunger, or so on. 

Due to Kiran's hefty experience with the Fire Emblem series in his own world, he also has near-omniscient knowledge about Heroes and the worlds they come from, with Zenith being one of the few exceptions. However, due to the nature of this knowledge and how it might affect others, he largely keeps this all to himself. If he should ever say something that would betray this, he simply remarks that his world has stories about the different worlds they've visited in a similar fashion to Zenith does. This knowledge is also in part of what allows him to be a good tactician since it helps him to possess a greater understanding of his units and the units of certain enemies.

[summoner-kentauris]

So I was thinking today about why it’s the Emblian Empire vs the Askran Kingdom given that, although we don’t have a clear picture of borders, Embla doesn’t seem to be very much bigger (the fairly decent balance between the two countries might be a product of unequal tech but it seems more to me like they are vaguely of similar sizes anyway idk enough about military strategy and whatnot to extrapolate properly from that and i also dk how much worldbuilding work has been done by intsys either so i wont linger). anyway not the point the point is-

I was thinking about why one is an empire and one is just a kingdom when it occurred to me that Embla used to be a hell of a lot bigger. Like, canonically. By which I mean this:

This writing... It's from the Emblian Empire? How did this end up here in Askr?

This is of course referring to writing on the shrine in Rite of Blade, which is located further west than the Rite of Awakening shrine, which itself is in the west of Askr. I haven’t the faintest clue if west west Askr is closer or further from Embla, though I suspect further, but at any rate it is deep in Askran territory.

And none of the Askrans have an answer to that particular one of Anna’s question, but I think it’s rather one of the more important questions the Askrans have asked. Because I think Embla used to be much bigger. Like a lot lot bigger. Empire sized. And that the reason that shrine is there is because that part of Askr used to be Emblian territory.

And of course that got me thinking about past wars. Because if all that happened, it happened so so long ago that nobody remembers it, not even scholars and their records as presumably our resident Askran historyboi would have known something about it. So it got me thinking.

Zenik history seems too clear-cut. IE Askrans = peaceful perpetual victims of the Emblians, Emblians = bad awful conquerors

It even seems to me to be too clear cut with Askrans = more or less the put upon good guys, Emblians = understandable bad since they are cursed

Which brings me to the curse. The more the story develops, the more the curse strikes me as...incredibly specific. There are at least three fully-fledged territories besides Embla in Zenik at the moment (askr-nifl-múspell), and I’m going to guess for a variety of reasons almost certainly more. And even if not, Zenith is a world connected to every other Fire Emblian Emblem (wow fun typo) world, Earth, and therefore possibly every other world in existence, and not to mention a megaton of multiverses. Meanwhile, the dark curse only targets Askrans. It’s not a kill everyone take over everything kind of deal. It’s a kill all the Askrans kind of deal.

(While we don’t have much details the dark curse seems to be even more specific than that, given that Zacharias | Bruno’s main problems seem to be not with offing random Askrans, but with targeting the Askran royalty. And maybe that’s because he spends most his time around Askran royalty, but then again it was an Askran royal he tried to kill, and not some random person who would have been slightly easier to target. And he doesn’t seem to have issues with Anna; he claims he left because he would have killed Alfonse and Sharena specifically. He asks the summoner to kill him only if he ever targets the royal siblings. Anna herself even seems to acknowledge that the royal siblings are the ones in danger, and I guess that could be because she thinks he. idk. doesnt like her enough to kill her? Actually idk. Hm. Anyway seems to me like the dark curse targets Askran royalty and that this is understood, more or less, by Zacharuno and by the Askrans. Anyway anyway I won’t drag on. ‘What does the Dark Curse actually Do?’ is an entirely different post, I think)

At any rate the dark curse strikes me as incredibly, oddly, weirdly specific.

It strikes me, in fact, as kind of a very desperate targeted weapon. A kind of deal made with a dark god in a very controlled and careful attempt to fight off a very specific enemy, chiefly, the kind of enemy that is Askran royalty. A trade - I will surrender my self, my consciousness, my wants my desires my body in exchange for the power to defeat these specific people.

Maybe even the dark god was created, but that’s way into off-rail speculation anyway

Anyway, so my full chain of thought up to there was:

Maybe Zenik history was far more complex than it seems. Maybe the Askrans were, at some long distant point, the aggressors (which would seem to be complimented very well by their ability to open gates), and the Emblians, on the defensive. And that’s when some Emblian made a pact with the dark god. “Thus, the kingdom's royalty came to carry the blood of the god.

—and a wicked god it was.”

A last ditch weapon in a terrible fight that would, later on in history, backfire awfully on the remaining members of the Emblian dark curse bloodline.

[summoner-kentauris]

now, regarding dead!Zenith...

my opinion is nowhere near settled. CURRENTLY...

none of the above backstory is relevant. zachs mom died and he traveled to askr like normal. dead!Zenith, though close to main!Zenith, was already diverged before the events of FEH, which is to say - in this world, for some reason, zacharias reveals part of his identity to alfonse a little sooner. currently im thinking he gets a letter from letizia inviting him to come back home. maybe she found out he has some real solid connections and instead of turbomurder for Veronica adjacent crimes, she decides hes useful to her empire and has his Supposed Crimes wiped away in an effort to make friendly overtures and gain a new asset. besides the point. anyway, the letter makes him anxious and nervous and all that, and alfonse picks up on this or maybe he just straight up notices the letter. and, instead of saying nothing zacharias cracks just a bit and tells alfonse just a little. juuust a little. why is he still talking. oh god this is such a relief. anyway, he does his whole confession (albeit saying he has distant royal blood rather than straight up confessing hes an imperial son, hes still not ready for that) including the part where he says he came to askr and made friends with alfonse solely to destroy embla. he does his confession and little sooner.

a little too sooner.

alfonse is a bit younger here, and so is their relationship, and hes closer to his parents because the excommunication hasnt happened yet. he supports zacharias, and tells him he trusts him, and none of it matters. and it doesnt.

except...

except.

alfonse is a prince and hes still not used to the fact that someone might like him for him and not for Prince Him. he trusts zacharias but hes just a little nervous and hes got parents who havent yet forced him to rely only on himself and his Order. so... he does a perfectly normal thing and goes to talk to his mother. he isnt stupid. he uses hypotheticals. his mother isnt stupid either. all she needed was that last missing piece and she puts it together. zacharias is the son of the emperor. he has gate closing magic.

so, what does she do, having reassured and sent away her son?

tell her king.

king gustav, like in canon, refuses to tell anyone about this damn gate for some inexplicable reason. he is also protective of his son, and this traitor showed up in the kingdom just to betray that son (he, unlike alfonse, doesnt trust zacharias). he is also having his Excommunication moment with his son, who was stupid enough to consort with an emblian prince and thereby open the country to harm.

so he does what a good solid fantasy king does best and locks his children in their rooms and executes the traitor.

except not really, he announces all that in public, says it was done, as a nice tidy way of destroying any ability zacharias has to go back to his life, and also as a nice punishment, and a nice clear severance of ties with the emblian for his son (its also a bit of a punishment for his son, though gustav will never admit it to himself). he lets his kids out several days after the fact and several days past the point where thered be any evidence zacharias is still alive, and neatly appears to go on about his business

(here, dead!Zenith is dovetailing main!Zenith's plotline of having zacharias disappear in circumstances that honestly probably mean death. but because its hel dead zenith, its slightly more depressing)

in reality, gustav has simple secreted zacharias away to work on closing the hel gate in... well... secret.

except. excepting. excepting the aforementioned letizia, who as mentioned has got her eyes on zacharias. and NOW, thanks to gustav, knows that askr has a massive time bomb on its hands that she probably thinks embla wont be impacted by, seemings as they can just close the gate after askr is wiped out. at any rate, shes gotten some good info, and has no interest in leaving her tool in their hands, to be used to eliminate a gate she can use to hurt them. so she promptly gets the curse directive to fetch zacharias.

hes traumatized by the whole experience. additionally, since all this happened earlier on, hes not had the chance to really experience the curse and therefore dig into the curse. all this means that he takes back the Bruno identity not as a tool to be used on his search for a curse cure, but as the only thing hes got left. its his last shield (the less used meaning of Bruno), and he keeps it firmly in place. this is important because, well... veronica has no idea hes zacharias and alfonse will never know hes bruno.

meanwhile back in askr alfonse is convinced its his fault he got his best friend killed. its one of the first severe traumatic griefs he'll come to bear, but not nearly the last. it is an important first step on the alfonse -> líf pipeline. instead of being skittish and distrustful of new relationships, like main!Alfonse is after zach leaves, he becomes downright hostile. he doesnt know whos going to betray him (and his loved ones). he doesnt know who hes going to get killed next. this makes his existing relationships even more important, and pushes his further into the Protector - Protectee mindset líf seems to having going on with sharena and kiran.

back in embla, bruno is continuing research on the hel gate. fucked up as he is, the man is not one to see a problem like that and leave it be (plus, this is paralleling main!Brunos search into the dark curse). its why embla finds out about the heart before askr does. its why bruno is one of the first ones to die. its why thrasir agrees to join hel in destroying main!Zenith. she has to save her brother. she let him down.

líf and thrasir talk about the people theyve lost, on rare occasions. who else can understand what theyve been through? thrasir talks about bruno often. líf mentions zacharias only once and never again. zach died before Hel, after all. theres no way to save him. especially not when lífs the one that got him killed.

and never, at any point, do líf and thrasir have any way to realizes that bruno and zacharias are one and the same person. líf will never know that in fact, it wasnt his fault, he was a frightened child just like zach was, and that zach did survive, and was safe, and is that bold aand kind but wounded, broken man that thrasir loves so much. that every story shes told líf about bruno is one líf should be holding on to with all that left of his heart

theres simply no way to know

anyone and everyone who did know is dead

its jsut that theres something very meaty and delicious located in between the three facts of:

there is an open gate to hel in askr that an Askran had to have opened

gustav is for some reason concealing that fact

zacharias is simultaneously hiding the fact that hes an emblian royal and consequentially can close gates

i dunno what it is yet but it probably tastes like angst