Bury Me
Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers. That goes to Nintendo. The only characters I own are those from the Golden Land, angels from Skyworld including the royal bodyguards, Angel Assembly and archangels along with all the other angels and of course the witch hunters. I also don't own Queen's Blade as that belongs to Hobby Japan.
Summary: They weren't ready to take on their father after all. All the training they did in the Smash Brothers Mansion was for naught and the war was lost to Anankos. The punishment for losing will be severe for them both but Anankos decides that Cory should be the first one to die in a horrifying manner…
Pairing: None
Rated: M (for mature)
Genre: Horror and Tragedy
Warning: Character death, creepiness and unintentional OOC
This is day 13 of the writing version of Inktober. Today's theme is "tomb". This is one of the four horror fics for this month. A character I fully enjoy torturing. And this is intentionally Friday the 13th. (Note this is posted late because I fell asleep before I had a chance to post it. While this is for the 13th, the fic for the 12th still hasn't been posted. It will be in a few days.) Enjoy!
Cory knows she had made many stupid mistakes in the past but this was the worst one she had ever made. The Nohrian Princess was certain they were ready to face Anankos. She had decided it was best to not tell the Smashers that they were heading back to their world. If Master Hand found out, he would do all in his power to prevent them from leaving. However, the two Corrins couldn't let their world be destroyed by Anankos, so they returned to their friends and family in hopes of defeating the crazed dragon.
Things had quickly taken a turn for the worse. While they were gone, Anankos prepared to ambush the heroes once they made it to a certain point in his lair. If Corrin had just outed the traitor sooner, there wouldn't have been so many casualties and the dragon twins wouldn't have been captured. In fact, it was impossible to determine if anyone was alive after the endless horde of Faceless and Vallites.
The traitor was the retainer whom Corrin knew so well. Cory had kept her mouth shut because she assumed that around the same time they defeated Sumeragi, they would have to deal with Gunter. This development was needed for Corrin before he took on Anankos. She didn't think about the possibility of Gunter switching his tactics in this timeline along with an ambush waiting for them. As a result, the dragon twins were stripped of their weapons as the enemy led them away.
Cory initially expected to be taken to the area where the large dragon resided. To her surprise, there was another area in Vallite Castle that she had never explored. Granted, Cory trusted her instincts on where to go next so she sought the location of the strongest negative energy. By going higher, Cory realized how big the castle really was, and it would be difficult for their friends and family to make it to them in the throne room.
Still…something seems off about this place. If it is supposed to be at the top, why does it feel like the floor beneath them was rough as dirt?
Cory questions how Anankos could even be at the top but once the dragon twins were brought inside, they see a man in a white cloak standing before them. The dragon princess doesn't understand why she felt uneasy when in the presence of this man.
"Welcome home, my children. I have been waiting for you."
Corrin is as lost as Cory. However, Cory recognizes the voice even if it wasn't as distorted as she remembered.
"Anankos…" Cory mutters.
"Huh?! Anankos…Father?!"
The man refuses to show his face to his children to confirm if he was their father. Even so, any doubts the twins still have are quickly dispelled.
"I'm disappointed that you didn't recognize me, Corrin," Anankos says. "Cory, why did you make me wait so long?"
Cory wishes she had a weapon to defend herself and Corrin. Anankos has a reason to separate them from everyone else. If he was like the Anankos in her world, he would have waited for them to find him near the bottom of the castle and murder them all. To see him in human form shocks her. In fact, she wonders why he never revealed himself like this before.
"Come, Corrin," Anankos starts as he extends his hand to his son. "We must start the ritual as soon as possible."
The color in Corrin's face drains almost instantly. He takes a step back, causing his sister to get in front of him. She bares her fangs at her father in answer.
"Cory, you have done your task. He is ready."
"If you think I'm going to let you use my brother for your sick plans, think again."
Anankos frowns at Cory's defiance. The gentle tone he had all but shatters once he speaks up again.
"It seems that you're past the point of negotiation, Cory…or should I say Kamui?"
"Kamui is dead," Cory declares. "Don't you dare call me that again!"
"Sis…" Corrin mumbles. "Father…why are you doing this? Why must you make everyone fight? All we want is peace."
"There is no hope for humanity. You both should know that. That is why you ran off to a realm where humans are not the majority, did you not?"
Corrin shakes his head. "That may be true…but I learned that there are many people that I can trust…humans or not. Cere…Cloud…everyone in the manor are my friends. It's why…I won't do what you say. We're going to beat you and return back to that realm again!"
"I see…then I guess I'll have to show you why that is nothing but a sad dream."
Corrin doesn't know what his father meant by that. All he knows is that the man in front of him starts to levitate above the ground. A powerful, dragonic aura gathers around the former father figure. He points his finger toward the dragon prince and fires a powerful blast.
"Corrin! Look out!"
The attack is similar to being impaled by a sword. Cory will realize this as she pushes her brother to the side and takes the hit for him. She is certain she will survive the hit but doesn't realize how powerful the attack is. Even in human form, Anakos proved to be dangerous.
"Sis!"
Suddenly, the ground starts to shake. Cory has no time to react as she finds herself stumbling back. The ground gives up behind her as she tries to regain her footing. Her twin falls to his knees from the impact.
"Sis!" Corrin cries out again as he attempts to stand up. The tremors prevent him from helping his sister as he witnesses her lose her balance and fall into the pit caused by powerful earthquake from Anakos's attack.
Cory screams as she falls in. How can they be on the top floor with a hole as big as this? The injury Anankos delivered to her prevents her from being able to have a nice landing. If it were just landing in a dark pit, it won't have been an issue. Cory hisses from the impact as she slowly stands up.
"Shit…" Cory mutters. "I need to get out of here…"
"CORY! CORY! CORY!" Corrin screams loudly, his voice echoing in the dark cavern. Corrin should have jumped down and help his sister but Anankos will not allow that. If Corrin tries to help her, the same attack that knocked Cory into the pit will hit him. Unlike his sister who got lucky, he will be killed. The Nohrian Prince refuses to die until he knew everyone is okay and when he liberates his world from his crazed father.
"I'm okay!" Cory shouts back. "A fall like this won't kill me…"
The fall isn't meant to kill her. It is what was in the pit with her that may spell doom for her. A low growl catches her attention.
"Huh? Who is there?"
Cory still asks despite her heart nearly stopping. She recognizes the growling and with her injury, things are only going to get worse.
From the darkness, Faceless emerge from the shadows. Cory's eyes widen as she finds herself backing up. There isn't much room for her to go, and she soon feels the cavern wall on her back.
"Do you like the present that's down there?" Anankos asks. "It will be the last one you will ever get from me."
Cory panics and tries to claw at the Faceless that grabbed at her body. She yelps, feeling her cape torn off. She refuses to show weakness and attempts to kick them away. Her injury prevents her from doing something as she continues to defend herself from the weak Faceless. One Faceless somehow gets behind her and snatches her hair. It holds her up in the air as she desperately tries to escape its grasp. The dreadful sensation in her only increases when she notices that the light above her fading.
"What is going on…" Corrin mutters. He looks to Anankos and notices his glowing hands. "N-No…you can't be…"
"This will be your tomb, Kamui…" Anankos says darkly. "You who have done nothing but get in my way and fight these demons…you can now spend the rest of eternity with them."
Cory nearly chokes out a sob realizing her father's intention. He is going to bury her alive.
"No! I won't let you!" Cory screams. "Get away from me, you Faceless! Arrgggh!"
With the remainder of her strength, she manages to get away from the Faceless. If she had her dragonstone, she may have flown out of the hole. Instead, she has no choice but to claw back up. That is the problem. The Faceless in the hole refuse to let her go. They don't care if they are going to die. They just want the Nohrian Princess down here with them.
As Cory starts to climb up the hole, a Faceless grabs her leg and yanks her down. The dragon princess screams as she descends back down into the darkness.
"Let go, you brutes! Arggh!" Cory yells as she tries to kick the monster away. That only adds to her conflict as these monsters developed a way to keep her down here. Another Faceless manages to grab onto her other leg. When Cory turns to curse them, her eyes widened in horror at a third Faceless cracking his knuckles.
"No…you're not going to…"
Cory doesn't finish her sentence as the Faceless brings down his heavy fist on her legs. Corrin's ears twitch violently when he hears an ear-piercing scream that will engrave itself in his mind.
"CORY!" he screams. "Father, please stop!"
"Hmm? Stop what?"
"I-I'll do whatever you say! Please! Get her out of there! Please!"
Corrin changes his opinion rather easily when his sister's life on the line. However, Anankos knows that Corrin will have no choice no matter what he does. He continues to close the hole that Cory fell in. If the Faceless don't beat her to death, she will surely suffocate.
Despite the hole finally shutting tightly, the dragon prince still hears his sister suffering. She continues gasping for breath as her nature refuses to let her give up so easily. Yet she still can't help but scream whenever her bones crack from the raining fists. Soon Corrin cannot hear the painful shrieks of his sister. He can only kneel numbly as his heart sinks and his mind goes blank. While a questionable sound of sobbing may reach his ears, he still can't believe that he just witnessed a killing in front of him...and by his cruel father no less. Corrin tries to stand on trembling legs. They quickly give up on him and he tumbles backwards. Again, he barely reacts with the shock petrifying him.
"The useless sibling is dead," Anankos says bitterly. "Now for you."
Corrin flinches upon hearing the sounds of Vallites approaching him. His body still refuses to move seeing the undead soldiers get closer to him.
"Death is not for you," Anankos starts. "You knew what your role was…and yet…you chose to flee with your foolish sister. Allow me to remind you what you are meant to do for the rest of your life."
Corrin finally yelps, feeling his arms being grabbed by the Vallites. Yet that is the only action he is capable of as the paralysis still has yet to wear off.
"I expect a powerful child from you," Anankos tells him sinisterly. "Take him away."
At that moment, Corrin finds his voice. It is too late to struggle against the Vallites. He tries kicking at them, hoping they will let them go but they already lift him off and force him slightly above the ground.
"Let me go!" Corrin yells. "I refuse to be your slave!"
Anankos chuckles in pure amusement. "Slave isn't the right word. Corrin, you are going to be a mother and give me a powerful grandchild."
Corrin's eyes widen as he struggles even more. "No! No! No! No! No! I won't! I refuse! I'm a man! It's not possible!"
"Yet…you know it's possible. You think that just because the mating season is done that you are safe? Think again."
Corrin reacts poorly to that revelation. Cory and his siblings' reassurances get thrown out the window. Anankos knows what he is talking about, and it is the only reason he remained calm even when the autumn season had long since past.
"No! You can't make me! No! No! No!"
The soldiers are having a harder time getting Corrin under their control. Anankos issues them another order.
"Take him to the room with the Faceless. I will join you shortly. Make sure you gag him if he refuses to cooperate."
Corrin continues to resist the undead soldiers but nothing he does will save him from his terrible fate. Anankos needs to do one more thing before he joins his son in holy matrimony. He needs to check the tomb his daughter is in and make sure she was as good as dead. Even if she isn't, Anankos knows it is only a matter of time before one useless child is no more.
"Soon…my grandchild will be born…all your efforts to stop it were pointless."
Me: Done with 2791 words. Notes!
1. As brought up in the BayoCorn and Salt Trio ficlet, Corrin and Cory's reason for fleeing their world had to do with finding out early on that Anankos wanted to kidnap Corrin for the sole purpose of breeding him and creating a powerful Kana. Cory failed the requirements to have an extremely powerful child in comparison (at least in Anankos's mind). They only needed to avoid three months in their world and then return to avoid the worse case scenario. This fic brings to the attention that waiting three months actually changes nothing. It is whether or not Corrin has the resolve in order to defeat Anankos. Because Corrin is 99% pure, it is not enough to defeat Anankos and Cory's failure to realize the requirements were not met while they were in the Smash Brother's Realm only rubs salt in the wound.
2. The mating season gives both Corrin's the genitals of the opposite gender allowing them to breed with whomever they choose with relative ease. Cory has already done this with Azura (hence why Anankos considers her a waste of time). Corrin has yet to give himself to anyone (not counting the original timeline where he was with Zero). Even if Corrin were to end up with Cloud or Bayonetta in the Smash Realm, he keeps his body changes a secret in order to avoid what Anankos wants from him. I already brought up that in some timelines, Corrin doesn't care and does give into the desires Anankos talks about. However, that means Anankos cannot breed the most powerful Cana as a result of Corrin giving up his virginity before he returns to his world.
