What you're about to read is a miniature Fates Semi-AU novelization that came to me in a dream… somehow. It'll only be a few chapters long.
Corrin stood prepared for his final test in his coming of age ceremony, sword in hand. He was a Prince of Nohr, third child of King Garon. He had silver hair, red eyes and conspicuously pointed ears. On his body he wore bright silver armor that was close-fitting and designed for mobility. His older brother, Xander, feared throughout the world as one of the greatest military leaders of all time, was administering the test while their father King Garon watched. Xander wore thick black riding armor and a long, regal red cape. Garon wore the same armor as his oldest son, but had a thick, fur-lined black cape in place of a thin red one. Cheering Corrin on were his older sister Camilla and his younger siblings Leo and Elise. Camilla, a voluptuous wyvern knight, wore rather revealing armor, designed with the intention of seducing opponents, causing them to lower their guards. Leo was a practitioner of offensive magic, and wore black plate mail armor that was enchanted to bolster his magic and resist that of his enemies. Elise, skilled in healing magic, wore a simple black dress under a silver bodice.
Seeing that his younger brother was ready, Xander unleashed four Faceless – giant, artificially created creatures of war – onto the field. The sword Corrin was given to fight them was intentionally flimsy, requiring all the more finesse to use efficiently; thanks to his training, the Nohrian prince was more than able to do so. The five monsters charged the prince simultaneously, but their slow, brutish movements were easy to dodge. Corrin side-flipped so he'd be at the flank of the line, and thrust his sword into the neck of one of the monsters, causing it to crumble to dust. Two more Faceless tried to punch him, but he slid between them and sliced their ankles, immobilizing them. The fifth moved to crush his skull, but Corrin ducked under the blow then thrust his sword into its heart, causing it to crumble like the first. As the two Corrin left wounded attempted to rise, the prince delivered surgical strikes to end their miserable lives, concluding the test. His siblings cheered him, and even Garon – cold-hearted as he was – smiled and clapped.
"Well done, my son. I dare say you one day may be able to compete with your older brother!" the King of Nohr stepped onto the field and clapped his middle son's shoulders.
"I look forward to the day we can spar together for real, little brother," Xander smiled and bowed his head in respect.
"Ah, yes, that reminds me," Garon looked to Gunter – Corrin's mentor and bodyguard and a legendary knight of the realm – and signaled him to come forward, a sheathed sword in his hand. Gunter was a aging man who wore black riding armor over a purple surcoat. He held the respect of every knight in the Kingdom as a man of incredible skill, and more importantly, honor. It seemed age had done little to dull his abilities. The wizened knight presented the sword to Garon, who in turn handed it to Corrin. The prince took the blade out from its sheath and examined it. The handle was rather small, barely accommodating a single hand, but the blade was about as long as Corrin was tall. It was black, gave off a dark, conflagrant aura and had a unique curve. The pommel extended to the same length as the guard, and curved inward to protect the wielder's hand.
"This, my son, is the Gangliari. It is my gift to you, marking your ascension."
"Thank you, father. I swear to use it well," Corrin bowed.
"I'm sure you will. Now, how about we break it in," Garon smirked and clapped twice, causing a group of guards to walk in with two prisoners, who from their garb Corrin deduced were from the rival kingdom of Hoshido. The first, a green-haired man, had the build of an assassin. He wore a green surcoat over a brown, leather piece of armor that he wrapped around his waist like an oversized belt. The second, a blond-haired woman, wore overly loose white pantaloons and a red cloth around her breasts, exposing her extremely muscular midriff.
"Corrin, these two Hoshidan scum were the heads of a force sent by the Queen of Hoshido to launch a preemptive strike against us. If not for the efforts of Xander and his men, they would likely have slaughtered more of our people than I could count," Garon said.
"That's a damn lie, you Nohrian piece of filth– urgh" the girl shouted but was kneed in her gut by one of the guards.
"You will not speak unless spoken to, girl," Garon spat, "now then, my son, it is time to break in your new weapon. Execute these swine."
"But make it quick and painless," Xander interjected, "they fought honorably and deserve a soldier's death."
"As you wish," Corrin bowed to his father and older brother, then with a single swing of his sword decapitated both of the Hoshidans. To his surprise, he felt nothing. Xander rarely spoke of his first kills, and Camilla always said she was traumatized by them. To this day, she would tell him of the nightmares. To Corrin, the lives of the Hoshidan scum were worth no more than the Faceless he regularly fought against when he trained. They were enemies to be killed, and he felt nothing for them.
"You showed remarkable control. You'll make a fine general some day, my Prince," Gunter said.
"Indeed," Garon chuckled, "now get some rest. Tomorrow morning, you head out on your first battlefield mission. You and Gunter will depart for the bottomless canyon, where you will seek and destroy Hoshidan spies. We've received reports that there was an encampment on our side of the border, and I want you to dispose of them."
"Your Majesty, do you really believe the task will only require two men?" Gunter asked.
"I am confident in your abilities, but I will be sending a third soldier with you. His name is Hans; I had previously imprisoned him for excessive brutality, but the wardens believe he has been sufficiently rehabilitated. I am sending him with you to prove his loyalty. Gunter, I trust your judgement, so at the first sign of treachery, you are to kill him. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sire."
"Excellent. Now, make whatever preparations you need."
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the beginning of my alternative rendition of Fates. It will follow none of the canon routes, but it will somewhat resemble Revelations. I hope you enjoy it.
