"You would ask for Ylisse's royal treasure? But why?" Emmeryn was the first to compose herself and with the grave tone her words had the rest of the shepherds were beginning to realise just what Gangrel was asking of them.

"Because I know the legend! The Fire Emblem is the key to having all one's wishes realized. I have desired it for years. YEARS! ...Yet my birthday comes and goes each year, and nothing from Ylisse. Heheh..." Gangrel seemed to enjoy his own joke his eyes constantly shifting between Emmeryn and Corrin.

"The Emblem's power is meant for a single purpose, King Gangrel: to save the world and its people at their hour of most desperate need. Would you claim a more noble wish?" Emmeryn spoke with clarity and zeal as she tried to emphasize the importance of the emblem while appealing to the king.

"I want what every Plegian wants—a grisly end for every last Ylissean! What could be more noble than that?" Gangrel cackled as he saw the look of horror cross the faces of the royals and the shepherds.

"What!?" Chrom, Emmeryn, Lissa and Corrin echoed the same question.

"Surely you have not forgotten what the last exalt did to my people? Your father named us heathens! His "crusade" across Plegia butchered countless of my subjects and my kin!" Gangrel's twisted joy warped to anger as he spoke, Corrin looked to Chrom who just stared at the ground No matter where I go war begets war and Violence just breeds Violence….

"It doesn't have to be this way…." The silken voice of madness returned and was more tempting than ever.

"Be gone I've resisted you this long you shan't have me now" Corrin blocked the voice out again, once more the whispers of madness clawed at her mind subtly.

"...I have never denied Ylisse's past wrongdoings. But I have sworn to never repeat those mistakes. Ours is now a realm of peace." Emmeryn's voice cut thorough the madness and brought Corrin back into the present and out of her mind.

"Yours is now a haven of hypocrisy! Now give me the Fire Emblem!" Gangrel seemed to have given up on the idea of a hostage he was now making demands "Oh and the snow flake too, consider her collateral for wasting my time."

"No, Your Grace! I'd sooner die than act as a bargaining chip for this filthy reprobate!" Maribelle raised her head high as she spoke once she had finished Corrin looked down towards Emmeryn "The same goes for my your grace"

"No, Maribelle, Corrin… I can't…" Emmeryn seemed have noticed that the negotiations had broken down and peace was no longer an option.

"Ugh... Taaaaaalk talk-talk-talk-talk. It's time to speak louder than words! This negotiation is over, Your Luminosity! I shall have the Emblem if I have to pry it from your shiny dead hands!" Gangrel threw his arm forward to signal a pair of Plegian soldiers to charge the exalt.

As they got into range to strike Chrom dashed forward his blade finding the heart of the first soldier as he drew falchion back the second ran by only to be turned to crystalline ash by Corrin "Stay back! Or you'll all suffer the same fate!" Chrom glared at the Plegian forces around them as Corrin landed by his side.

"Now that's a declaration of war if I've ever heard one... A big, messy war that will bleed you Ylisseans dry. Bwa ha ha!" Gangrel's decree set the Plegian forces into motion and the battle lines were drawn.

While the soldiers readied themselves Aversa approached Maribelle with a twisted smile on her face "Poor, stupid girl... Are you really worth fighting a war over? Years from now, you'll be remembered only as she who destroyed House Ylisse."

"No... That's not... Oh, Lissa... Please, no..." Maribelle closed her eyes as Aversa readied a spell however as she braced herself for the end a large blast of cutting wind severed the her captors grasp on her and caused Aversa to use her magic to shield herself.

"What insolent pest would dare?" Aversa looked around seeking the source of her annoyance only to have another blast of magic fly at her.

"Maribelle! Go! You're free!" Ricken stepped out from the bushes and threw another blast of magic stepping between Maribelle and Aversa.

"RICKEN?! What are you doing here?" Maribelle's eyes went wide as she grabbed her stave.

"Just run! We can talk about it later!" Ricken glanced over his shoulder before defending himself from Aversa's attack.

"Oh, is this your little boyfriend? Isn't he just precious." The witch threw yet another dark magic attack towards Ricken who easily countered it.

"Don't talk down to me Witch!" The duel continued until an arrow narrowly missed Aversa who turned to flee, as she did Ricken and Maribelle turned to see who had saved them.

"Hey there, don't worry Ill charge this one to Corrin" Anna winked at the two of them who stood dumbfounded "We might want to meet up with the rest huh?" With that Anna led them through the paths she had found up to them.

As they fled Aversa glared at them from the back of her dark Pegasus "Wretched whelp! I should... No. Our soldiers have them outnumbered. The brats will be dead long before they can reach their comrades." She smiled and turned back towards the capital.

Back on the front lines Gangrel's captain Orton readied himself to deal with the shepherds.

Across the battlefield the shepherds clashed with the Plegian forces Corrin pushed forward not caring as she felt the sting of blades against her skin her eyes were focused on Orton, two Plegians came for her as they did she sidestepped the first strike and swiftly drove her blade into his chest before using her tome to change into a long coat and light armour in her hands she held a pair of Katana, these blades were known as the Hagakure blades they were a Hoshidan relic, with the speed her new attire allowed she swiftly executed the second soldier before pushing forward.

Meanwhile Chrom had found himself fighting alongside Robin the two of them had secured a fort and were fighting back to back within its walls when they caught a moments respite Robin looked to Chrom "I just want to say I'm sorry for my distant behaviour, I.." before she could continue Chrom smiled.

"You don't have to worry, you've had our backs when we needed it" His smile disarmed her and she felt a smaller flutter in her heart however she simply grinned.

"Also I just want to say that you should enjoy Corrin while she's yours because I've not given up yet" She smiled as Chrom chuckled.

"Well good luck" the two of them began fighting off the next wave as Chrom finished speaking.

Corrin continued to push forwards her trail of death growing with each moment advancing towards Orton and his wyvern aiming to bring him down to her level; with each enemy felled she could feel the madness grow the whispers drowning out the cries of pain that were left in her wake.

As she neared Orton she could hear an almost chime like voice piercing the whispers "…Lady Corrin… Lady Corrin Stop!"