Edit: The 'feast' scene has a lot of dialogue added to it. Since this feast portion was actually unplanned, I forgot to add it in. The new part of it was originally to be had when Corrin reached Shirasagi and has a meal with his blood-family.
A/N: I made a terrible mistake last chapter... I lied. Welcome to the Fire Tribe: Part 3. Though now I can state with all due confidence that this is the last chapter with Corrin and the others being in the Fire Tribe.
Curse of Whimsy: Yep. Corrin is going to end up as one powerful... unconscious causing machine.
Well, I'm glad that their personalities bleed both into their social lives and combat styles.
Felicia and Elise are going to be Corrin's only wives... during the war. It's up in the air whether or not Corrin will end up getting more after the end of the war and I can do some 'after the war' set of chapters.
Yes, I wanted each Dragon God to have Their own unique set of traits and personality quirks. Gugurang's voice also comes out like He's constantly shouting, hence why his dialogue had bold words in them.
I guess you could say that the Fire Tribe members are... hotheaded. HA!
Temporal King: The untold section of this chapter happens right at the start. I do hope you like how He came out.
Corrin groans as he flips and turns in his sleep, unwilling to actually get up. He grips the blanket closer, why is it so cold?! Another turn as he attempted to pull the blanket closer. As another blast of cold hits him, he jolts up and sees… nothing. Literally nothing. He brought a hand to his face, still nothing, why can't he see anything?! His heart starts racing, "E-Elise? F-Felicia?!" He starts to panic. "Arthur? Rinkah? Anyone?" Nothing.
He stumbles out of the bed, tripping over something he cannot see… but he knows it felt nothing like a person. He lands on the… wet ground? But, it isn't like normal water, it's muggy. "Useless." A voice comes from everywhere and nowhere at once, "Why must we train this… drivel?"
Corrin froze, he knows that voice, "Father ordered it, brother." That was Xander. "You know better than to question the Crown."
"I'll follow orders, but I'm naturally curious, why do we need a scapegoat? Give me a month, I'll counter that barrier." Leo.
"Nohr is falling, we need more resources."
"I'm aware." A pause, "Your new retainer… Laslow, was it?"
"What of him?"
"I've had to remove him from some cafe. He's almost relentlessly hitting on women." Leo scoffs, "For a man who values strength and order…"
"He's at my side when I call. Besides, can you really ride the high horse with that absurd shouting man?"
Leo clicked his tongue, "I didn't need to show which side is the stabbing point on a sword."
...Do they really act like that towards each other?
"Watch your…"
"Tongue, yes yes." Leo sighs, before an aura of foreboding surrounded him, "And let's not forget who's actually been Blessed, 'brother'. You may hold Siegfried, but I hold both Brynhildr and the power given to me by Him. All I need is one cast." Steps echo as the two voices walk away.
Are Camilla and Elise the only ones… no that's right, Elise has been disowned.
With that scene ended, Corrin was alone. He took a slow, careful step, because gods only know what's out here. Another led to another, and he walked across this realm of pure darkness. Wait… darkness. "Shalim, is this your realm?" Corrin calls out.
As if it was the magic word, another presence entered the area, though this one felt subdued… much like Mizuchi's damaged state. A loud thud echoed as Corrin felt the wind from something hitting the ground. Blood-red eyes greeted the Water Blessed. "It… was." While Corrin assumed He is as large as Khione, the voice came out barely above a whisper. "I know not of you… are you another visage of that man? Speak!" Even His 'shout' came out barely above a whisper.
"I don't know who you're referring to, Dusk Dragon." Corrin bowed slightly, "I am Corrin, Water Blessed."
"Water…" He echoed. "Water, Water." The Dragon God groaned, "Water is… Mizuchi." A gentle rain shower followed. "I wish I could've done something."
"My Tribe's Dragon spoke of how you aren't yourself." Corrin pried.
"I'm not." His red eyes bore into Corrin, "I'm a shame, a failure." Despite not being able to see Him, Corrin somehow knew that the Dusk Dragon now stands. "Close your eyes, Water Blessed, and open your mind."
Doing as He instructed, Corrin closed his eyes, "Okay." He says.
"You are blind because you refuse to accept darkness. Dark spells are not inherently evil." He continues, "Let it in, Water Blessed, there's nothing to fear." The Dusk Dragon collapses and He heaves a great breath. "Open." His whispers have been growing quieter.
Once more, Corrin looks, but this time, he can see. Before him lies a massive dragon, covered in an even larger cloud of pure darkness. The area around Him is… vile. Large puddles of bubbling purple liquid, sickly green plants, "Gods…" Corrin coughs. It was now that Corrin noticed the great Dragon is chained. Hooks embed themselves into His paws, claws spread. A number of purple-glowing chainlinks are across his massive body.
Somehow, those blood-red eyes seem pitiful, rather than threatening. "Gaze upon me, a God shackled by His own. Who's the real deity, here?"
"H… How?"
Shalim seemed ready to respond, had the purple pools around him didn't start bubbling violently, "Leave." He whispers, instead. "Don't let my… Communer catch you here."
Corrin felt a pull, but before the realm faded, "It seems you're energetic, 'Great Shalim'." Corrin couldn't place the name, but he knows he heard him, before.
Corrin startled up quickly, his heart hammering. He raises a hand in front of him, he can see himself, good… and he can still feel some heat making its way through the enchanted building, good. He's here, and both Felicia and Elise are beside him. The latter is in an admittedly cute sleeping dress, while the former is well, still naked.
Why did Shalim contact him? Who is His Communer? Who chained Him? What sort of power does the Communer hold if even He fears him? Corrin takes a breath as he steadies his heart's racing state. "We're safe, we're not in Nohr." He finds himself saying as he slowly gets up. Grabbing his armor, he places it on him. Corrin's eyes scan the room, Gangalari is leaning on one of the walls, its single eye staring straight at him. Surely it would be better to toss it and grab another?
No, that pull is still there, that unnamed need to wield it, to have it on him. Why is that feeling there? It pulses something evil, better left behind. "Darkness isn't inherently evil." Shilma's voice echoes as he takes up the blade once more, using a bit of magic to place it upon his back. Corrin then walks outside.
It's not even morning, and the heat is only slightly less intense. He decides to walk around, hopefully it'll clear his mind some. Nodding to himself, he walks around the Fire Tribe's village. Now that he has a moment, he can see that there is much more than just torches and buildings. Near the Communer's building stands a black-stone statue of Guguran, obviously not as large as Him, but massive all the same. An intense source of light is also near it, more visible since the sun itself isn't shining. Upon approaching it, he sees it's actually a massive fire, crackling with sheer intensity.
There is a sort of untamed beauty to it. "It's our greatest tribute to Him, Corrin." Rinkah's voice calls out as she stands beside him, roughly half an arm's length.
"You're up early." He simply replies.
"We have a long travel ahead of us." She's staring straight at the fire, "There is much to do."
"About yesterday," He starts, but her gaze is still on the fire, "When your father brought up…"
"The duel, yea, I know." She cuts him off as that flush forms again. "If I ever do, it's because I want to fight, that's it."
"Then why are you blushing?"
She fidgets, seeming nothing like the headstrong and powerful Rinkah he's come to know. "Custom."
"To blush when…"
"Gods… He values strength, and we've adapted His preference. To us, the strong survive. So, when there is a man who can stand up and fight as well as you…" She finally looks at him, that flush is still there, "You've already two, and I'm not interested in looking for someone yet."
Corrin stares at her, "A… spouse? What does that have to do with a duel?"
"Worthiness." She replies, returning her gaze to the massive fire, "In order to get His approval for marriage, one challenges the other to a duel, if He deems the fight worth His time, He will approve."
"Oh… so, you need His approval for…"
"Of course not!" She bites back, "It isn't required, but it is expected."
"Okay." He meekly replies, "So, your father just wanted you and me…?"
"Yeah." She takes a step further away, "I admire your strength, Water Blessed. You fight well, but I'm not looking for anyone right now."
"I was just curious, Rinkah."
"...I understand." The two stand for a moment, as the fire crackles. "I would think you would be more tired. Why are you up so early?"
A beat passes, "The Dusk Dragon brought me to His realm."
"The… nerve!" Rinkah causes the surrounding area to heat up.
"He isn't at fault, He's been bound by His own Communer!"
"What sort of half-assed lie is that?!" Rinkah shoots back, "That would mean the Communer would have to cross into His realm! The living aren't meant to physically be in Their realms!" She scoffs, "If that's true, then He's a fool to let one in so easily, it's only fair He's been chained." The giant bonfire near her practically shot up another half of its height.
Would Shalim have a reason to lie to him? No, of course not! There's no way He could simply feign the tremor and terror in His voice, nor would He have a reason to have His body chained. He had to have been deceived.
But then, who could outplay a Dragon God?
"I don't think it's that simple, Rinkah." Corrin finally replies. "I think there's more going on than this. The Water Tribe is hunted down, the Ice Dragon mourns the Water Dragon's near-death, and the Dusk Dragon is chained." Due to her… extreme temperament, Corrin decided against telling her how the Fire Dragon claimed He would turn anyone who crossed into Their realms into ashes.
"Hmph." She scoffed. "Don't take what the other Dragon say at face value, Water Blessed… especially if they aren't your Tribe's Dragon." A pause, "We should get ready, father wanted the feast before we leave."
Corrin's mind hadn't really went at ease since his conversation with Rinkah. He tried replaying both what he and her said, along with what exactly happened during his talks with the other Dragon Gods in Their realms. Nothing seemed to be off on Their side. Mizuchi is weakened, unable to even show his true form to Corrin. Khione seemed sorrowful, worried for Mizuchi's well-being. Gugurang was more or less unconcerned. While Shalim could hold His form, He is chained in His own realm. All of it didn't add up like it should, Corrin knew something was off, but…
Who is the Communer for the Dusk Dragon? Corrin knows that he knows that voice he heard before he woke up from the Dusk Dragon's realm, but he couldn't place a name on him.
By the time he returned to the building that he, Elise, and Felicia slept in, the other two were already up… and chatting to each other. Felicia has a calm expression about her while Elise seems… nervous? "Good morning." He gently calls out and is greeted with two beaming faces.
"Good morning!" Elise exclaims, already looking the part of the ball of sunshine.
"I hope you slept well, love." Felicia smiled, a hint of a flush covering her face.
"I have." He nods, then he pauses, furrowing his eyebrows, "Well, except near the end." He admits, not wanting to hide from his wives. "I…"
"If you aren't comfortable talking about it now…" Felicia trails off.
"Yeah! We can wait!" Elise quickly agrees, "This is about us, no rushing, right?" It seemed her question had a double meaning, considering she is now flushing, more so than Felicia was.
"You're right." He concedes, "Perhaps we should eat?" He offers, "Rinkah told me the chief wanted to have the feast early."
"Oh good! I'm staaaarving!" Elise giggles as she jumps up off of the bed, then gives Corrin a big hug. "I wonder what they'll have…?" She then reaches up and plants a kiss on Corrin's mouth, "I'm gonna go see!" For a moment, Corrin is left dazed…
He's still getting used to the fact that he has two beautiful women he can call his wife. Two women that love him. "I agree with Elise." Felicia is the next one to get up, "We haven't had a proper meal in a while." She too, gives him a hug, her natural cold countering the warmth that Elise just gave him. "Let's go, shall we?" She also gives Corrin a kiss, though hers lasts a bit longer and feels more intense than Elise's. "By Her ice, I love you so much." She breathes, then gently grasps his hand, finally knocking off the daze he was in.
"I love you too, Felicia." He glances outside, "And Elise." A somber moment passes as his mind wanders off to Camilla's current state, is she well? And again, what of Jakob? Laslow? How about Effie, who was held back for reasons unknown? And finally, Flora, how is she feeling and what is she thinking? For her, all she knows is that her twin sister and several others were sent out on a mission, and have yet to return. "Love, how do you think Flora is fairing?"
The question didn't faze her as much as he thought, "Flora's tough," Felicia smiles, "I trust she'll be fine. She is next in line to be the leader of the Ice Tribe, after all."
"Did you not want it?" He asks.
She shakes her head, "My sister had more of the attitude for a chief and as for me? I was more fit to be the Communer…" A pang of hurt crosses her face, "I just didn't think I'd be assuming that role so soon." Unsure of what exactly to say, Corrin simply gave her a firm hug. "Mmm…" For a moment, they stood there.
That is, until Corrin's stomach growled, reminding him that he really should eat, "Uh, let's go, alright?" He sheepishly asks, receiving a giggle and another kiss in response. The two held hands as they left the building. The first thing that hits them, besides the obvious rise in temperature, is the smell of food. Following his nose, Corrin and Felicia end up at a large feast, more than enough for his small group. Elise seems to be trying her best to not simply dash up and getting a plate.
"Ah, Water Blessed!" The chief calls him out, "And the Ice Blessed." Unlike Elise, he already has a plate of rather big portions on it, with some of it already eaten. Rinkah and her mother seem far more reserved, actually willing to wait on the rest. "Come! Come! Eat until you can't eat anymore!" He laughs, before taking another chunk out of whatever meat he held in his hand.
It also seems as if he doesn't care for utensils.
Without any more encouragement, Elise immediately goes for a plate, nearing the line of un-lady-like. She manages to keep herself dignified, however. She goes for a number of meats, if smaller than the massive ones the chief has, alongside some roasted vegetables of sorts, before plopping down on a table, satisfied with her choices. Following her example, Corrin and Felicia go up next. "Where are the others?" Corrin suddenly asks as he is about to go and grab a plate...
"Please, allow me." Felicia smoothly interjects herself, "I'll get you something."
"If it's not too much." He looks at her.
She gives him a gentle smile, "It isn't."
"Arthur should be…" Elise starts.
"Sorry I'm late!" The man in question suddenly arrives, and while Corrin couldn't place the exact reason, he seemed… different. "I awoke to the smell of something burning, and the fine green-hair Ninja informed me that my hair was starting to catch fire! He then graciously obtained some water to douse it, but for whatever reason, it didn't work, so I decided to smother the flame. Placing a towel around my cranium, I managed to snuff it out, but…" He pauses as a disturbed expression crosses his face, "It turns out I didn't grab a towel… but rather my undergarments."
With his bizarre explanation, Corrin does see that, yes, a portion of his hair has been burnt off, but there is still… "Arthur, your leggings are on backwards." Elise points out. "And your chest armor is inside out… somehow."
"Ah-ha! Thank you, Lady Elise!" He exclaims, "I knew that my armor felt tighter than usual. I shall return!"
"How? Just… how?!" Rinkah questions.
"Arthur is like, one of the most heroic person out in the whoooole world." Elise replies, "But he does have a terrible case of bad luck."
"Hmph, luck." She scoffs, before walking over to grab a portion of food that rivals her father's.
Corrin and Felicia has since sat down, the former in between both Elise and Felicia on either side. An amused smile is on his face as his mind refuses to let go of the details for Arthur's morning. "Good morning, Lord Corrin." The female Ninja, Kagero, is the next to arrive, ultimately getting a portion that is relatively small compared to everyone else's.
"What's wrong? There's plenty!" Rinkah's father calls her out. "I didn't hunt down two bears to have this spoil!"
"Father… you killed one of them. Mother killed the other one. Besides, she took down the bigger one." Rinkah says without hesitation.
Considering her mother's relatively smaller frame, Corrin is surprised that the Fire Dragon Communer took down a bear. "Dear, you also had to bring out your mace for yours." The Communer calmly states, "I think your age is getting to you."
...Okay, so she also took hers down bare-handed. "I agree, he was rather… lacking in our last duel." Rinkah adds.
"You didn't have to phrase it like that." He flinches.
"Think of it as payback for embarrassing me last night." Despite the semi-aggressive banter, all three of them are smiling.
"I was only speaking the truth, there's no need to be embarrassed." He laughs.
"Dear, I'm sure that had you the chance, you would place our daughter up on a pedestal and announce to the entire world how great she is." She smiles and Rinkah rolls her eyes.
"Don't give him ideas, mother."
"Is it wrong for a father to be proud of their daughter?" He asks. "Water Blessed, what ails you? Eat!" Unlike everyone else, Corrin has yet to touch his own plate. He seems reserved, and when his eyes meet the chief's, the air tenses. Corrin's eyes practically scream hunger, his stomach growl can be heard from all around him, yet he still doesn't eat what is right in front of him.
Corrin frankly can't believe this food is something he can eat. He breaks eye contact and instead looks at Felicia, "Felicia?" Corrin's voice comes out smaller... fearful, even.
"This is for you, too." Felicia gently whispers.
Another stomach growl, another moment of untouched food. "It can't be." He shrinks back further.
"There isn't anything else, love." Elise is next, "The chief is offering something for everyone!"
"Here..." Felicia picks up a piece of his, with utensils, and offers that piece of chicken to his mouth, "You need to eat, dear." With Rinkah's family nearly staring him down from one side, Elise pleading from another, and Felicia offering him a sad smile alongside a piece of chicken so close to his mouth, Corrin eventually gives in. With a hesitant motion, Corrin opens his mouth and allows Felicia to feed him.
"See? Isn't it great!" Elise cheers as Corrin chews through it.
"I've... never had anything so good." He admits, "It's only ever been some bland slosh." Drool forms around his mouth as his mind replays the flavor from that single piece of food he just had. "Can I... have another?" He still finds himself asking.
"Yes, eat! Eat until you can't eat anymore!" Despite the cheerfulness in the chief's tone, he seems anything but truly happy...
In fact, Rinkah's whole family seems rather angry. "What do you mean, only bland slosh?!" Rinkah demands, both hitting the table and standing up tall.
"Daughter, please." The Fire Communer gently states... with an aura of heat coming from her, so she isn't nearly as calm as her appearance suggests.
"Everyone else always had the good food." Corrin continues, "I've only had enough to keep me going, with some bland food made to give the nutrients and fullness, but that's it."
"If you two don't sit down this instant...!" The Fire Communer says again, this time with her voice raised.
Both the chief and Rinkah sit back down, it seems she has a hold of a lot more power than Corrin first assumed.
It was at this point that Kagero had arrived, she too grabs a plate, but it has far fewer portions than everyone else. Kagero ends up sitting across from Corrin, "How do you fare, Lord Corrin?" She smiles.
Corrin doesn't return the smile, and he hesitates before answering, "Please, don't call me 'Lord', Kagero. I don't want to be considered part of Nohr anymore." While it's true he didn't receive a disownment letter, for all intents he may as well have.
She looks ready to protest, but stops herself, "Of course, Corrin. As for your well-being?"
"I... don't really know." Felicia has another piece of chicken ready and is pushing it towards his direction. He allows it and goes through the motions of eating once more, slowly accepting the idea that he can eat this. "Kagero? Why are you so... different from the other two?"
The smile stays, "I'm simply doing as I would…" She stops herself, "As a Ninja, it's very important that I can read people easily. I noted points of stress and I dealt with them."
"You noticed." He states, a pause follows, "How much?"
"...The largest ones is your reactions relative to each person. All of the women, including myself, seem to provide a positive influence on you. Only Arthur does the same. You are uncomfortable around Kaze, but nearing a state of terror whenever Saizo is visible. I also noted that your fear for Saizo grew once you learned that he and Kaze are brothers." She closes her eyes for a moment, "So in response, I asked Kaze to limit time spent in your field of view, while Saizo avoids all possible visual contact, preferably also audible."
"And you figured that out on your own?" Corrin is honestly amazed.
Kagero's eyes flicker towards Elise, "Most of it, yes, I knew the causes of your stresses, but not the reasons. The rest were assumptions that were confirmed by Prin…" She stops herself, "Elise." Another pause, "I apologize for eavesdropping." She takes a breath, "I promise you, Lord Corrin, you won't experience anything like that again. I swear on my honor as a Ninja."
"I… thank you, Kagero." Corrin smiled, then taking a bite out of the meat. It's… a bit charred, but he isn't complaining. This is, without a doubt, the best meal he has ever had, and… he can actually eat until he's satisfied!
"Oof, by His… fire." Corrin suddenly hears the chief gasp, as the man curls over and falls from his chair to the ground. Rinkah is looking rather livid.
"Dear, you know she prefers the thigh over everything else." The Communer simply sits there with an amused smile on her face. "Shall I beseech Him so that you won't forget?"
"No… thanks. I'm fine." He struggles to get up. "Just wow. Our glorious daughter gets stronger everyday." Despite the strange manner at which Rinkah and her parents go about things, at least they're doing it in good humor. That line of thinking leads to the next question.
What is Corrin's real family like? Felicia offers a third piece and after he ate that one, it finally clicked that yes, this food is also for him.
A/N: I wanted to put this into y'alls heads now. So, at this point, Corrin has had received a number of different descriptions for what's going on with the Dragon Gods.
Khione, the Ice Dragon Goddess, believes that Mizuchi's, the Water Dragon God, current state is due to Shalim's, the Dusk Dragon God, conquest. Khione believes that Shalim intentionally had His people hunt down the Water Tribe.
Mizuchi claims that Shalim has not been Himself, which leads to Him believing that a force is manipulating Shalim.
Shalim states that His people managed to find a way to bind Him, forcing Him to do whatever His Communer requests.
Guguran, the Fire Dragon God, thinks that Shalim also fell to His own people, but He also claims that He would turn any mortal who crosses over in Their realms to ashes.
So, which Dragon God do you all think is telling the actual truth? Or are none of Them telling the complete truth?