The light faded, and the image of the harbor filled with Hoshidan and Nohrian corpses was replaced with a set of cobblestone streets and modest two-story houses with folk in plain clothes meandering about the streets. These people didn't even seem to look up as the mystical flash dissipated and dropped Corrin's small rebellious army in the center of the small burgh. Corrin led his group forward and caught the attention of an elderly man whose back was bent. "Excuse me," Corrin entreated the man, "I'm searching for the city of Notre Sagesse, have I reached it?"

The man nodded, "Aye, you have."

"Excellent," Corrin smiled, "I was told to seek out a person called the 'Rainbow Sage.' Have you ever heard of such a man?"

The man wheezed and gave a long, dry laugh, "Everybody in Notre Sagesse knows the name, boy. He's one of the ancient masters who founded this city of philosophers. Some say he lived alongside the Light and Dark Dragons who created Nohr and Hoshido themselves."

"Is it," Corrin stammered, feeling slightly embarrassed, "Is it possible to meet the man?"

The elderly man laughed again and wheezed even more, such that Corrin feared he had actually run out of breath. That fear was assuaged immediately when he went on chuckling, however. "Well, some say ya can," the elderly man replied, "Plenty of adventurers and religious or philosophical types come to Notre Sagesse thinking they can meet the guy and gain greater power or omniscience or achieve nirvana… Honestly, the way those braggarts talk…"

"I'm sensing a 'but' coming," Corrin sighed.

"None of them ever returned," the man concluded gravely, "To date, it is said that only three people have ever met with the Rainbow Sage and lived: one was King Sumeragi of Hoshido, another was King Garon of Nohr, and no one knows the identity of the third."

"Kings Sumeragi and Garon," Corrin repeated, "We're in good company, I suppose."

"You intend to reach him, too?" the elderly man inquired, stroking his long beard.

"That's right," Corrin nodded, "I am a prince of Nohr, and I've come to seek the sage's power to spare my people the desolation of war."

"Hoo hoo!" the man chortled, "Is that right? Ain't often we have royalty around here… Then again, you might just be lying, mightn't you?"

"I will happily prove my lineage if it means you can help us in some way," Corrin answered.

The elderly man waved his arm, "Naw. T'ain't for me to judge. If what you say is true, you carry the blood of the Dark Dragon in your veins. If that's the case, you may stand a chance of surviving, but the only way to know for sure is to climb to the peak of Mount Sagesse—that's where you can meet the Rainbow Sage, inside the Sevenfold Sanctuary."

"So," Corrin pinched his chin, "it is just like that merchant woman said. I guess she wasn't wrong about her information being top-notch." He turned to face his comrades, "All right, everyone, we have our new goal: we're going to climb Mount Sagesse and speak to the Rainbow Sage in the Sevenfold Sanctuary."

"Climb Mount Sagesse?" Silas swallowed, "Are you sure, Lord Corrin?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" he shrugged.

"Mount Sagesse is a notoriously perilous climb," said Azura, "Sherpas climb and descend from the it two days after the New Year's celebrations every year to retrieve and bury the unclaimed dead bodies that litter the mountain." As she said this, the blue-haired songstress gestured to the mountain with her thumb. Corrin swallowed hard as he noticed that the peak seemed to be hidden behind a veil of clouds.

"W-Well," he stammered, "all the same, we have to do it. If there's even a chance that this Rainbow Sage can give me the power to protect Nohr, I have to try."

Corrin heard the elderly man let out his wheezing laughter once more. "Ah, the ardor of youth," the man grinned at them, "You folks make me think that anything is possible. Good luck on your climb; it'd be a real waste for any of you to die."

"Thank you," Corrin nodded, "er, I think."

[…]

Oboro took another step toward the door, summoning her breath to her chest. Her hand vibrated with her apprehension as she knocked on the door, and the sound seemed to echo through the whole ship. "Lord Takumi?" she called.

There was a long pause. Oboro thought about knocking on the door again, supposing the prince hadn't heard her, but what if he had, and he was ignoring it because it was annoying him? In that case, the last thing she wanted to do was disturb him again. In the midst of her paranoia, she heard a voice come through the door: "Enter."

Fearing she may lose the chance if she waited, Oboro obliged her lord's welcome and came through the door, finding the prince laying on the bed in his small quarters, his eyes focused on the ceiling. There was an open book askew on a wooden desk not far from the bed, an overturned chair, and a candle that had melted into a stub in a pile of wax there, too. Oboro walked over to the side of the bed and examined the prince, bandages wrapped around his left eye. He still didn't look at her. "Lord Takumi," she bowed, "I wanted to apologize for my failure as your retainer. I should have prevented you from being hurt like that."

His good eye remained on the ceiling, "The failure wasn't yours, Oboro: I wanted to face my brother man-to-man, to test if his convictions were real, or if he really was being manipulated. I got my answer." At this point, Hoshido's youngest prince looked down at his retainer and smirked a little, "And I got a war injury, so everyone knows to take me seriously from now on."

Oboro giggled, "It'd still make me feel better if you hadn't been harmed. I can't help but to feel that I'm partially to blame."

"Don't," he ordered her, kicking his legs over the side of the bed to stand up, "None of this is your fault. My brother turned out to be a very different man than I thought he'd be, that's all. For now, it's so musty down here it's hard for me to breathe. Do you mind accompanying me on a walk around the decks?"

Oboro smiled, "Not at all, milord."

"And maybe when we get back, you can make me a new outfit. I'll need to command some serious respect now that I'm a battle-scarred general," he added.

Oboro blushed and grinned brightly.

[…]

Corrin continued to place one foot in front of the other as he scaled the mountain, focusing on the sounds of his own panting as he went on, as the wind stung his eyes, his hands and feet had become numb, and he could only barely breathe the thin air.

Azura walked steadily beside him, seeming nowhere near as exhausted. He turned to see her once and was shocked by the way she continued to walk with her normal gait, head straight forward and no audible grunts or breaths. She looked over at him, too, and her face was neutral—no signs of exertion. "Are you tired, Corrin?" she asked.

The red-faced, sputtering prince nodded and gave a half-hearted, "A bit."

"Would you like me to sing?" she wondered.

"No," he waved his arm, "don't put yourself out on my account. How can I lead you all up this mountain if I can't do it by my own power?"

She seemed to smile for the first time that Corrin could recall in a while, "You have a habit of taking things upon yourself, Corrin. Even when you don't seem entirely capable of succeeding, to be brutally honest."

He laughed, rendering himself out of breath for a moment, then recovered, "Suppose you've got me there. I guess I'm predisposed to want to prove my usefulness. Every day, when I was imprisoned in that fort, I waited for someone to come along, and I wanted to show all my siblings how mature I was becoming. Xander especially—whenever he came around, I wanted so desperately to show that I was strong, capable, and independent. I thought that if he felt I was capable enough, I might someday be allowed to leave and be with everyone else." As he finished the thought, he frowned.

"I'm sorry if I brought up a painful memory," Azura said.

Corrin shook his head, "No, I'm past it now. It's not worth lamenting what's already happened."

Azura considered that remark carefully as Corrin turned his head to stare back toward the peak of the mountain, which, to the group's collective relief, finally seemed to be drawing a bit closer.

[…]

The march had ceased for the day, and all the soldiers were receiving some well-needed rest, but their commander remained awake. Ryoma's thoughts remained with his brothers—both of them—throughout the night. He assumed it was night, anyway: Nohr was so interminably dark that it was impossible for a Hoshidan to see any distinction between the hours there. Regardless, he feared first for Takumi: he was equally proud and fearful when Hoshido's youngest prince volunteered to lead his kingdom's vanguard against the Nohrian menace. Takumi would doubtless encounter harsh resistance from the Nohrians, but that was a part of their plan: if he succeeded, the remainder of the Hoshidan forces would be on much more equal footing with the crippled Nohrian army, and… even if he failed, Nohr's army would be drawn away from its capital for some time, prompting a prime opportunity to strike.

It was a well-crafted plan, one they had all believed in upon leaving Hoshido that day. It was a plan that would bring this tragedy to a satisfactory end, and one that would honor the passing of their mother. In the days since the attack, Ryoma had tried to avoid thinking of his mother, as those thoughts inevitably brought his mind to the subject of his other brother, the one who had betrayed them and fled to Nohr. Ryoma avoided thinking of Corrin even more desperately, afraid that he may have to accept that his brother conducted the attack on purpose in service to the treacherous Nohrians. Such a thought made the high prince of Hoshido sick to his stomach whenever he considered it. He hoped he could meet his brother just once more to ensure that it was not the case.

Ryoma reached for the hilt of his Raijinto as the flap to his tent swung open. He calmed down when he saw his sister's red hair poking in. "Ryoma?" she called to him, "You're awake, right?"

"I am," he folded his arms and shut his eyes, "What brings you here, Hinoka?"

"Probably the same thing that's keeping you up," she guessed, "about whether or not we can actually pull this off, and about Corrin."

"I understand," the samurai grunted, "for now, I think it's best if we focus on executing the plan. Whatever happens, if we at least make an effort to do what we're planning, we'll have brought honor to the Hoshidan royal family. What's more, if we're even remotely successful, we may not slay the shadowy beast of Nohr all in one night, but there's a good chance we'll give the whole world something new to think about when they talk about the relations between our countries.

Hinoka smirked, "You know, Ryoma, I can't think of anyone better to lead Hoshido than you. Your confidence is inspiring. My heart feels lighter just from having spoken to you."

"All that is good in me began with King Sumeragi and Queen Mikoto," he answered, "It is a samurai's duty to fight relentlessly for his home—to give his very life, if necessary. I may be a prince, but it is my code that gives me the strength and discipline to struggle against villainy."

Hinoka nodded and sighed, "Even so, I'm finding it hard to think of our brother as a villain."

"As am I, sister," Ryoma agreed, "as am I."

"I should get back to bed," Hoshido's eldest princess supposed, "I need to be in top form if I'm going to be leading so many troops."

Ryoma nodded and gave her a smile, "A point well made. I'll do the same. Good night, Hinoka."

"Good night, Ryoma."

[…]

Kaze frowned as he bowed before his lord, "It is as you suspected, Lord Corrin. The corridor is empty."

"Damn," Corrin sighed.

He heard the beating of hooves and turned around to see Silas approaching from the opposite side. "Sorry, Lord Corrin," the knight shrugged, "there's nothing down there but ancient-looking pottery and idols."

"But how can that be?" Azura wondered aloud, "We were told to enter the shrine… the sage should be here somewhere. Did that man really just give us false information?"

"It can't be so simple," Corrin pinched his chin, "Why would he do such a thing?"

Camilla sighed and chuckled at her brother, "I don't think you realize how many people detest Nohrians, my dear."

"But he didn't seem malicious at all," Corrin continued, balling his fist.

"Hey, big brother!" he started as he heard Elise call from down a gap in the wall, "Look at this!" Corrin and the rest of his group followed the young girl's voice down the narrow, hidden hallway and found her standing beside an inconspicuous green door. A lock was affixed to the door, and a paper with blotches of ink was pasted to the lock. "It won't budge," Elise explained, tugging at the lock for effect.

"Should we break it down?" Silas asked.

"No, wait," Corrin held out his hand, "Those symbols look familiar. I saw them printed on scrolls in Hoshido."

"Of course," Kaze brushed past them and inspected the paper, "It's a talisman, written in the Hoshidan alphabet. It seems it was set in place with some spell to protect this door."

"Can you read what it says?" Corrin asked.

"Certainly," Kaze eyed the talisman, "I believe it's a riddle. It says, 'The sagacious path waits behind this door, but only wisdom can beget wisdom. Prove that you possess sight beyond sight to be granted immortal knowledge.'"

"Sight beyond sight?" Azura repeated, "What could that mean?"

"There's a rotating piece on the lock," Elise pointed out, jiggling a protrusion of four spinning rings connected to a mechanism on the base of the lock.

"The rings also feature Hoshidan characters," Kaze observed.

"Perhaps if we find the right combination, we'll be let in?" Corrin supposed.

Silas shrugged, "In that case, why not try them all at random? It might take some time, but we're guaranteed to get it eventually, right?"

Kaze shook his head, "It would be best not to trifle with it. I've laid traps with protection charms given to me by Hoshidan onmyoji in the past: they can be rigged to explode or release poisonous gas quite easily. We'd better play along."

"But how do we go about proving we have 'sight beyond sight?'" Silas frowned, "What does that even mean?"

Corrin looked to Azura, who was staring back, equally perplexed. He began concentrating his vision very hard, his eyes fixing. Azura blushed, "Er, Corrin, I'm sure you're in deep contemplation, but could you not stare at me like that? It's a little uncomfortable."

He blinked, "Hm? Oh, sorry, I wasn't looking at you, it was the wall behind you. Doesn't it seem… I don't know, off?"

She turned around and glared at the wall. It seemed ordinary enough at first, but, after a moment's time, she began to see a corner that seemed out of place, as if wallpaper were peeling, but the wall itself bore no paper. It glowed with a strange magenta hue, and seemed to alternate between jumping and playing like fire and bubbling. "I see what you mean," she announced, and she pointed to her observation, "Look here."

The rest of the group did so. "I don't see anything," Silas shrugged.

"Nor I," Kaze added.

"I must admit that I, too, remain in the dark," Jakob contributed, narrowing his eyes fiercely at the wall.

"But… it's right there," Corrin insisted, pointing to the same spot.

"Yes, what's the matter with you all?" Camilla looked around, "It's plain as day if you give it more than a simple glance."

The others disagreed.

"Oh, yeah," Elise smiled, "now I see it."

There was a moment of debate between the group in trying to determine who was seeing things or not, or who might have been making things up to seem smarter. Through the argument, Corrin walked over to the wall and placed his hand on it, and it ripped quickly like paper under the pressure, giving way to an alcove that showed four Hoshidan characters. "Kaze," the prince summoned, "can you see if these characters match those on the lock?"

Kaze did so, no less incredulous at what he had seen, and compared the figures to the lock. "Earth, sky, man, and dragon," he observed, "all four appear on the lock. Although… the ones on the lock use an ancient style of calligraphy… they take on less literal meanings the way they're written here. As they appear, I'd translate them as 'Hell, heaven, mortality, and immortality,' in that order."

Silas massaged his temples, "The Hoshidan language is so confusing."

"Give the combination a try," Corrin commanded.

"Yes, milord," Kaze matched the pattern. When he finished, a blue spark ignited at the base of the talisman. "Stand back!" he shouted. The flame, however, only burned the paper of the talisman and afterward dissipated harmlessly. After a few panicked seconds, everyone regrouped before the door as the lock fell to the floor.

They stared on as a white-and-green light peeked out from the space behind the door as it slid ajar. Corrin stepped forward, "I'll go in first. Keep your wits about you, everyone."

Corrin had to shield his eyes as he stepped through, for the light was intense and seemed to be burning him as he walked through, but, after just a moment of that sensation, he realized that it felt very much like pleasant sunshine, and provided only a dull warmth. He opened his eyes and found himself standing before another door: the very same door where he had spotted the elderly man before his journey up Mount Sagesse began. As if on cue, the same man stepped out, of the door, eyes a little wider open than before, "Ah, there you are. Well, color me impressed."

Corrin looked around and stared at the old man, bewildered, "Come again?"

He smiled, "The door to the Rainbow Sage leads here, son."

"So then…" the prince pieced the information together, "You mean to say that you're…?"

"That's right," he nodded, "I am he that is spoken of in the legends."

Corrin scowled, "Then why didn't you just tell us that before? You could have saved us all considerable trouble."

The man laughed his usual wheezing laugh, "Do you have any idea how busy my life would get if people thought they could just see me whenever they wanted? Nuh-uh. Not happening."

"Then," the prince stared, "will you grant me the power you bestowed on the others."

"No," replied the Rainbow Sage.

Corrin frowned, "Why not? We did what you asked us to do, we solved your riddle…"

"I can't give you the power," the man smiled, "You've already given it to yourselves. Climbing that mountain was no easy feat, eh? See if you don't feel lighter now just standing here."

Corrin rotated his arm and stretched his legs, "Now that you mention it…"

"But there is something I can give to you in particular, wielder of the Yato," the Rainbow Sage went on.

The prince grasped at the hilt of his sword, "How did you…?"

The man shook his head, "I know all there is to know about you, and a good deal more than that. Now, hold it out for me." Corrin complied and held the Yato forward. The Rainbow Sage stretched his arms out and held his palms over the sword. He chanted, "I, who forged the sacred blade… I, who committed the great sin… I, who wove the divine colors… I call on you now, Seal of Flames!"

Corrin started as the Yato began to glow and radiate a similar warmth to what he had felt when he arrived before the sage's door. "The 'Seal of Flames?'" the prince repeated, examining the sword, "What's that?"

The Rainbow Sage smiled, his eyes closed, "It is the limit placed upon the Divine Blade Yato, which I have just released. Its latent power slumbers no longer. All you need do is earn the trust of those who possess the other divine weapons."

"Other divine weapons," Corrin thought, "Like Xander's Siegfried."

The man nodded, "That is one of them. They will allow your Yato even greater power."

Corrin nodded, returning the blade to its hilt, "Thank you, sage. You've done me an incredible kindness this day."

The man laughed, "I didn't do it for my health, boy. The strings of destiny have been pulled taut by your hand. Mine was the easy part, it'll be up to you to use your power to save this world."

"I think I understand," he bowed his head, "I swear I won't waste this gift."

"Before you got," the sage halted him, there's something else you should know. Corrin turned and watched the sage, listening intently. "You may recall the third person I spoke of," he said.

"That's right," Corrin recalled, "You said no one knew that person's identity… but you must know who it was, then."

The sage laughed a bit more, "That's just the thing. I know of her, but I don't actually know the girl herself."

"Huh?" Corrin's eyes went wide, "How can that be? I thought you were omniscient… or at least, sort of."

"You're quite right, but this girl," the sage continued, "she's something special. Something not of this world. There are others like her already here, but she's the only one who came to meet me. Nice girl."

"I don't understand," the Nohrian prince admitted.

"I don't expect that you will," the sage sighed, "but your destinies are interwoven. You will meet this girl from another world… in fact, you've already begun looking for her. By the time you find her, you will already know the truth. Reveal that truth to her, and she will help you succeed."

"I'm so confused," Corrin scratched his head, "How will I know it's her? What is this truth you're talking about?"

"To reveal more would end my part in fate's play prematurely," the sage sighed, "I'm not long for this world, but I'd like to enjoy it just a bit more before I go. Look for a girl with curly ruby hair and a long purple coat at the end of your road, Prince Corrin."

Corrin stared at the sage a moment and shrugged, "Very well. Thank you for everything, sage. Although, one last question, if I may?"

The Rainbow Sage rolled his eyes discreetly, "Yes?"

"That riddle about sight beyond sight… how did you know that I would be able to see into that alcove in the wall? How did you know I'd find the combination?"

The sage's eyes widened, "I didn't. The lock opens with any combination, as long as all four rings are rotated—the charm tests courage."

"What?!" Corrin started, "Then what of the characters in the alcove, behind the false wall? Why does the riddle say it's a test of wisdom?"

The sage shrugged, "Two very different questions. The charm is a test of wisdom—as in, are you wise enough to know when to trust your gut? As for the alcove, well… that's to help protect me from false positives." Corrin opened his mouth to speak, but the sage stopped him, "No more questions, now. I'm quite tired. You have everything you need."

Corrin sighed and thanked the sage once more for his help. As he began to walk away, the rest of his group appeared in a brilliant flash of light. Azura halted him at once, "Where are we? Did you meet the Rainbow Sage?"

"We're back in town, and yes," Corrin answered.

"Well?" she said expectantly, "What did he have to say?"

"He gave me a new power," Corrin explained, clutching the hilt of his Yato, "And now, we have no more time to delay. We have to go speak with Chieftain Keaton."