What would you do if you knew a loved one was doomed for tragedy if he continued to walk the path he paved for himself?
After falling from Takumi's arrow, Corrin wakes up in her childhood bedroom back in Hoshido on the day of her return and the massacre in the square. Swearing to prevent history from repeating itself, Corrin makes it her unspoken mission to shower Takumi with the acceptance and love she couldn't before.
Corrin stared at the ornate throne before her, her lips a tight line.
Just an hour ago, her father was resting on it, looking over the kingdom he thought he had conquered. But that man was not her father.
His soul had been devoured by a demon, possessed into a merciless king, an empty king, set on ruling both kingdoms of black and white, leaving a trail of blood and fire in his wake.
Just an hour ago, her father was alive.
No, that creature was not their father. He had passed many years ago, even her siblings agreed that he transformed into the wicked stranger that towered before them. For years he had forced her siblings to complete heinous tasks, like killing the son of a rebellion leader and threatening to burn an entire village that couldn't pay taxes and being soldiers in general. Despite the royal blood that flowed through their veins, in his eyes, they were lowly expendable pawns.
But now, the old king's rule of tyranny over Nohr had finally come to a close, as did this bloody war.
"Azura, Xander, Camilla, Leo, Elise. The war is finally over." She said with a soft voice, the words tickled her tongue. Though she fought for weeks on end for this, not once did she imagine the words rolling off her tongue and into ears. But it was over, the last blade has been drawn. "Quickly, let's free the remaining Hoshidan soldiers and release the prisoners." She said, shifting her focus from the barren throne and to her family.
The princess flinched as she heard the swift cut of the air. Her breathing hitched and her heart stopped cold as she watched a familiar beryl arrow speed through the gap between her Leo and Azura and towards her. Despite how fatigued she was, she still managed to dodge the arrow by a hair, had she been just an ounce more tired it would've been the end.
In shock, Corrin watched the arrow pierce into the throne before vanishing with a lingering purple tinge.
"It can't be…" She whispered. Her eyes darted to the harrowing sight before her.
Her younger brother stood at the entrance of the throne room. His body, engulfed in a dancing violet mist, was contorted awkwardly, his head facing the floor and his silvery bangs concealed his bangs.
"No... Takum—!"
"Betrayal…" He said, his voice distorted into a growl. His posture immediately straightened up, his gloved hand reaching for the frosty bow of the Fujin Yumi. His head shot up as he extended the bow back.
"I am betrayal." He roared, his once bright hazel eyes now a piercing bloody red. His breathing was uneven and guttural, and it seemed to echo across the chamber. The Nohrian Royal siblings didn't share a word, astonished at the atrophy of Hoshido's second prince.
"You…You're alive, Takumi…" Corrin was the first to break the silence, trying to sound as calm as she could, despite her heart pounding so painfully she felt choked. "What happened…"
"The pain of betrayal…Yours and mine." He said in a hushed tone. His expression writhed into a pained one, his eyelids shutting close. "It burns…BURNS." His eyes opened wide, his orbs still a flashing ruby but with a thin border of tears welling up. It was so miniscule that only Corrin noticed, sending another pang of discomfort to her chest.
"I must…NO. I WILL… kill you…KILL YOU…" He pulled the bow back even further.
Corrin grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the Shadow Yato. "Takumi, snap out of it! Please…" She pleaded desperately, she had just striked down her father and heard Ryoma's final words, her heart would shatter if this ends up the way she was fearing.
"I will…kill you…lost sister… Die, CORRIN!" His fingers released the box and the arrow darted through the air towards her. She jumped out of the way, but made she not to go behind her siblings, fearing the worst would happen to them too.
"Because of you…" He groaned. "Betrayal…Death…Murder…" He repeated those three bone chilling words over and over. He seemed lost in those words, loosening his grip on the legendary weapon and facing the floor.
"He's gone mad," Leo said, flipping open the Brynhildr, extending his palm.
"Leo, no!" Corrin exclaimed before stepping forward to her Hoshidan brother. "Takumi, stop this! The war is over! King Garon has been defeated! There's no reason to fight each other anymore!" She prayed to the Gods that at least a fragment of her words went through to him. The gods answered her, though it wasn't the response she desperately wanted.
"War…betrayal…death…murder…That is all there is…all there ever was between us…and all there ever will be…" The words dripped like venom off his tongue. "I will not…be swayed…War…betrayal…death.
"Dammit Takumi! Please, stop this madness and listen to me for a change!" She shouted, hot tears rimming her eyes. Her emotion had filled her cup and were not at the brink of overflowing onto the battlefield. She had worked so hard this entire journey, pushing and suppressing those emotions but now she was at her limit.
"Corrin wait! I'm afraid he can't be reasoned with…" Azura said, a drop of sweat slipping down her porcelain cheek. "You're not going to want to hear this, but…"
"He's already gone…isn't her, Azura?" Corrin said dryly, her back facing her sister.
Azura's golden eyes widened before she gulped, tightening her hands grip on her javelin. "Yes…he must be possessed by something, like King Garon was."
Corrin stayed silent and watched her brother's rigid movements. It was like some sick apartition was playing with his body like a puppet master.
"I'm guessing when he threw himself off the Great Wall of Suzanoh he was already…" Her voice wavered, staring at her aloof brother. Azura was the most distant to him out of the other siblings yet she cherished their rare moments and brief conversations, as they were always very interesting and wise.
"No! I can't accept that. Takumi is stronger than that, than that demon possessing him!" Corrin said.
"Shut up…Corrin! It's all your fault…Hoshido Is dead…All your fault!" Takumi spat. "You destroyed…my kingdom…my family…If you die…I can rest…if you die…the pain…the pain…The pain will stop…if I kill you!" A rogue tear escaped his eyes and raced down his cheek, his expression still as hard as stone.
Corrin's heart dropped as the tear fell to the carpet. "Takumi! Please, my brother. Please don't cry!"
"Damn you…" Xander gripped the handle of Siegfried and swung the legendary weapon, its obsidian black blade facing the Hoshidan prince. "How dare you say those threats to my little princess!"
"Corrin, Xander is right. We have to fight him. His mind is…not well…it's too far for us to reach. The monster has latched on to his regrets, to his resentment and bitterness. His heart and mind have been pushed past the point of no return." Azura said. "We have to stop him before more innocent lives are lost."
"I agree, anyone who speaks such vile words to my precious little sister will not live to see another day." Camilla said in a velvety yet chilling voice.
"Wait, don't move!" Corrin commanded. "That's an order!"
"Corrin…" Azura stood, her mouth hung agape.
Corrin's tight grip on her weapon loosened and it swung to her side.
"No, you can't be serious…" Leo gasped, already grasping the upcoming events.
Corrin shook her head at her battle-ready siblings. "Takumi has every right to be angry with me."
"Big Sister Corrin, you can't be serious!" Elise pleaded, stepping towards her.
"Elise!" She shouted, surprised at the sharp crescendo of her voice. "Elise, please. Don't move, everyone please."
Even the youngest of the Nohrian siblings caught on to her plan. Crystal tears quickly shed and slid down Elise's flushed cheeks. "Big sister…"
"I am to blame for so much heartache in his life…" Corrin said in a hushed voice. "I chose this path. I do not regret it…but I must take responsibility for it. There's only one way to atone for my sins."
Slowly, Corrin made her first step towards Takumi and the purple fog that covered him.
Azura gasped as it all clicked. "Y-You don't intend to—." Helplessly, she watched as Corrin talked closer and closer. "Wait, Corrin! It's too dangerous, please! Come back!"
"Sister! No!" Leo exclaimed, reaching out for her.
"Corrin, I can't lose you again!" Xander shouted.
The pleads of her siblings flooded her ears, each one striking her heart, leaving a lingering and sharp pain.
My family…thank you for loving me so dearly and being so wary. But even now, I still believe in Takumi.
Corrin made her last step before standing straight and tall, just ten steps away from him.
"Corrin…Betrayal…Death…Must…kill you…" Takumi growled, his fingers inching for his weapon again.
"Takumi…I know I've never been there for you like a sister should…I've cause you more suffering than words could explain and I couldn't save you at the Great Wall…" She took a deep breathe in. "This all grieves me more than you will ever know, but I will not fall here on this day." Because I trust you. "I won't let you kill me, but the very least I can do…is accept all of your anger."
Takumi stood still and for a moment Corrin really believed that it was all over and all was forgiven.
Abruptly, his body snapped up and violently pulled back the bow. "Death! Murder! BETRAYAL! I will kill you, Corrin! I…WILL…KILL YOU!"
Corrin felt a painful lump trembling in her throat and struggled to swallow it. "Takumi! If you're going to aim that thing at anyone, aim it at me. I'm the one you want!" She demanded, pointing her blade at him. "Go on then! Loosen your arrow, Brother!"
"DIE!" Takumi shouted, his voice sound like a disharmonic blend of two voices. His hands released and the final thing she saw were the tears streaming down the pleading face of her precious little brother for a split second, before contorting into the lifeless expression that tormented her just moments before.
"CORRIN!"
"BIG SISTER!"
"NO!"
What…where am I?
Why does it feel like my body is being crushed, what is this immense pressure?
This paralyzing darkness is so…lonely and suffocating.
Is this what Takumi felt throughout the war? From the moment Mother was murdered in cold blood along with the innocent Hoshidans?
No. This resentment is so overwhelming I can't think straight, everything is so blurry. He must've felt this even before.
All of this feeling of lament and anger and resentment and so much more, it was all manifesting in him and devouring him from the inside. I…I couldn't do anything about it. No, I didn't.
Oh Takumi…
I'm so sorry for making you feel so alone during this war. I hope in the afterlife, you would find it in your heart to forgive your selfish older sister.